Zero Rei
by Kaori Fujimori
Summary: To protect the dream, to protect this place, to protect these feelings, to protect the future, to protect the promise, to protect that one person...I...This eye, this love, changed my destiny. And now my destiny is...what?
1. Chapter 1

(Ichigo: Hey everyone! We're back with another fanfic!

Aki: Sorry for being gone so long, we got hit with the idea for this story months ago and we've been painstakingly working on making it enjoyable for you guys to read!

Ichigo: it's another one of our remakes so it'll be like the anime for a little while, but once the changes start, oh boy are they gunna be different!

Aki: So look forward to that! So without further ado, the fanfic! P.S. Disclaimer's at the end since Ichigo thought it looked better there)

_Most prefer to say that Zero's reign of terror began in 2017 a.t.b where he first appeared guiding the Elevens-dubbed by him as "The Black Knights"- through their rebellion against the Britannian Empire. But, in fact, the Black Rebellion began eight years before that in the year 2009 when Lady Marianne was assassinated and her two children, Lelouch vi Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia moved to an independent country referred to at that time and in the present as Japan- and died there when Britannia attacked Japan and reformed it as Area Eleven in the year 2010..._

_Excerpt from __**Britannian History**__ published by Scho Book house for use in schools. _

Chapter 1: The Demon With Violet Eyes

It's not uncommon for teenagers to get into mischief. Skipping school is common practice because it's easy and it gets the student in question in trouble with the school administration once they realize that the aforementioned student missed third period last Wednesday. It particularly causes trouble if students skip detentions, or -God forbid- decide to give the more prideful teachers a run for their money and run amok through the campus with the encouraging hollers of fellow students egging them on.

And when the student is finally caught and they protest against their punishment asking why they have to be in detention for the rest of the semester or clean the cafeteria they're simple told "because those are the rules."

They say if a person lives within the confines of the law-and school rules _are _law. A special kind of law. One the police don't uphold and thus they should not be called in the event of possible suspension- they are not really living and that every human being has to get a rush from something every now and then. That's why people speed and others gamble and others do crimes...

Well, gambling is probably the least harmful-physically, at least- of those options. So skipping school to gamble wasn't _all _bad.

Just boring because traditional gambling games like Black Jack and Poker don't offer any challenge. Chess, on the other hand, is challenging and entertaining-depending on the opponent, of course- so it's natural to combine the thrill of gambling with the thrill of chess, right?

"What?" some people might say. "But I can't play chess!"

That doesn't matter, though. After all, the protagonist of this sordid tale, Lelouch Lamperouge, can play chess. So well that he even _gambles_ using it.

_He can do anything_.

Or, so his legions of fangirls would say. Any person-student,teacher, parents, police officer investigating a request for a restraining order- can easily find them and see for themselves. They're not that hard to find. There's usually one or two following Lelouch Lamperouge discreetly at a distance...

Actually, as he approached the location for his next challenge, he had one accompanying him. A classmate and fellow student council member by the name of Aurora Demilles. She was a petite girl with long light brown hair and innocent aqua eyes. She was currently clutching to waist of their 'chauffeur'-Rivalz Cardemonde, an averagely tall boy with unruly blue hair and a deep tan- as he sped haphazardly through traffic, eager to make it there on time, and to get Aurora off the bike.

The reason for Rivalz's haste was located in the side car beside Lelouch-a person Rivalz was quite terrified of. This person was named Marina Clemens, a girl sporting brown hair that hung close to her head and barely brushed past her chin. She was of average height with sharp eyes and was Aurora's best friend. Many agreed she was pretty but no one sane would date her, because she always wore an expression that seemed to indicate she smelled or saw something quite unpleasant.

And generally it was _everything_.

But enough about Lelouch's little entourage. There are more pressing matters to discuss.

Such as the upcoming chess match, getting back to school so Shirley Fennete doesn't skin them alive, Lulu's plans to overthrow the Britannian Empire-

That last one, Lelouch wanted to keep that one _a secret_.

* * *

It was with immense relief to the old balding man as the soft _whoosh_ of opening doors swept into the stifling room. The cavalierly was here.

His opponent-a rather overweight, mustachioed fellow dressed in clothes that screamed 'has money to burn' with thinning brown hair- crooked his head to the side to pear around the old man, the furniture and the men in black suits to try and get a glimpse of the people coming in, but to no avail. The sole light in the room was provided by a lamp that dangled above the chessboard casting a ring of light around the area, and the shaft of light from the open door threw the entering figures into shadows.

When the old man asked them if everything was alright at school, the man suddenly become interested. If only in sheer amusement of the idea, "Oh, a student, are you?" he inquired in a mocking tone.

"Oh, a nobleman, are you?" uttered a tall, slender teenager with inky black hair and unusually purple eyes who was mimicking the older man's tone of voice in a way that caused the older man to scowl and wish he had bit his tongue. This charismatic teenager was Lelouch Lamperouge, formerly known as Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, and soon to be known as Zero and The Destroyer of Britannia.

As if on cue, Aurora began to glitter and sparkle in admiration. She had became a second light source.

"He didn't even say anything that great..." Marina eyed her friend warily.

"I know...but...he's so cool!"

Marina exhaled a 'shroom shaped cloud. "He's just a guy. He's the same as Rivalz. He just knows how to keep his hands to himself. Speaking of which..." Marina raised a pale hand and pressed the palm firmly against Rivalz's tan cheek and pushed him away. "You're just a _litttttllleee_ too close!"

The mustached man huffed, annoyed. "You youn'uns are lucky to have so much free time, so much time for regret. What's your name?"

"Lelouch Lamperouge," he said in a smooth, clear voiced that stressed and enunciated the syllables of his name, that silently commanded that it be remembered.

"Good God," Rivalz said as he approached the table from the right and saw the current state of the game. "Even you won't be able to win this!"

"He's just kidding, Ro," Marina explained patiently as she held a struggling Aurora back by her arms. "He didn't mean it. No way would he doubt Lulu's awesomness. Right, Rivalz?"

"Eh? No, really, that's what I was doing-"

Aurora snarled. "Shut it!"

"Rivalllzzzz," Marina forced a smile to her face as a vein pulsed in her forehead. "Don't you want to ask the President out before you die? If you keep saying stuff like that you won't get the chance."

At this Rivalz seemed to realize how much danger he was in and snapped his mouth shut, and with a final act of irritation in the form of Aurora sticking her tongue out at him, the incident was more or less forgotten and Marina could breath a sigh of relief.

"Rivalz," Lelouch spoke as cool and calm and unemotional as he ever was, like he didn't even know they were there. "What time will we have to leave here by in order to make it back in time for class?"

Rivalz looked thoughtful. "Well, if we speed, we'll make it if we leave in twenty minutes."

"Then I ask you to drive safely the entire way. This will all be over in nine minutes," Lelouch stated confidently as he gracefully settled his tall frame into the plush mauve piece.

"You're not going to get a nosebleed, are you?" Marina asked as she turned suspicious brown eyes on her best friend. Her only response was a high-pitched squeal barely muffled by her hands. "You know, that's sorta annoying..."

"King first?" the nobleman stared in amusement at the black piece in Leouch's right hand before laughing. Lelouch just smiled a secretive smile which caused Marina to look at Aurora as the girl began to stubbornly cling to her arm.

"You _sure_ you're not gunna get a nosebleed?"

Somehow Aurora's frantic nodding did nothing to reassure her...

* * *

"Noblemen are so great!" Rivalz chirped happily as the quartet exited the elevator and proceeded towards the exit. Rivalz leading the way, walking backwards to talk."They've got oodles of pride, so they always pay up. You really managed to turn it around, and you set a new record of eight minutes and thirty-two seconds!"

"Of course!" Aurora cooed. "It's Lulu!"

"My opponent didn't have much time either," Lelouch said in a small, thinly veiled attempt at modesty. "Besides, noblemen are all too soft. They're just parasites living off the rest of us."

Marina resisted the urge to sigh as Aurora looked ready to burst from joy. _What's so great about this guy? He's handsome, he's smart, but isn't he just a pompous, self-centered, egotistic, megalomaniac? _

"Hey," she said. "It's human nature to do that though. The rich take advantage of the middle class, the middle class takes advantage of the poor...it's how our society works."

Lelouch's glanced at her coolly out of the corner of his eyes. "They society should change."

She sighed. Really, was he trying to intimidate her or melt her like butter on a hot stove? "You keep saying that but I don't see you don't anything about it-"

"If noblemen are too soft," Rivalz interrupts, trying to stop what appeared to be an inevitable verbal battle as he backed through the automatic doors. "Then now 'bout Elevens? Unlike us Britannians-"

Marina cut him off as she said, "Another bombing...?"

Rivalz blinked, and turned and, sure enough, displayed on the large television screen of a nearby building was video depicting a partially destroyed apartment complex. Aurora frowned at the sight and Marina comfortingly patted her back. Aurora always had always been sensitive to these kinds of events, outwardly displaying her sadness, even when in public.

A moment later the picture on the screen changed to depict the Britannian flag and a female voice coolly announced that Prince Clovis would be making a speech momentarily.

After that Lelouch stopped listening-or even caring.

* * *

"You going to mourn?"

It was phrased as a casual question but there seemed to be some sort of expectation as though Rivalz thought he already knew the answer.

That was why Lelouch's response was to fire off another question. "What about you?" he asked Rivalz.

"Hmm...I'd be embarrassed," he admitted as he leaned over the handlebars of his motorcycle, watching as Lelouch extracted the parking ticket from the meter.

"True enough. Besides, our tears won't bring back the dead."

"Ohhhhh...that's cold!"

Lelouch shrugged. From his nonchalant attitude it would've been impossible to guess that he had once experience painful loss and had once-somewhere in the depths of his childish heart- believed that if he cried enough tears that it would bring the dead back to life.

Aurora looked creastfalen. "But still..."

Marina was nonchalant. "It's a philosophy many people have," she wasn't one of them but she wasn't willing to let anyone know that.

"It's all about self-indulgence," Lelouch explained. "No matter how much we try, the world won't change," Unfortunately. "But enough about this...shall we start the game?"

Marina stared at him blankly for a moment before comprehension dawned and she sighed, roughly her hair. "Ah, right...loser sits with Rivalz this time, right?"

Lelouch simply nodded in agreement, Aurora sweatdropped because she was also the loser, and Rivalz beamed, happy with his odds-2/3 in his favour- of sitting with a pretty girl.

Lelouch and Marina exchanged glances. Slowly, Lelouch's and Marina's fist joined Aurora's and the chant began:

"One, two, three, shoot!"

The outcome was surprising. Marina lost and what confused Rivalz and Aurora even _more_ was the fact Marina wasn't protesting at all.

The results were as follows:

Lelouch: Scissors(chosen because he knew Aurora would-somehow- manage to copy him)

Aurora: Scissors(chosen because she had a feeling Lelouch would pick the same)

Marina: Paper (chosen because she knew Aurora would copy Lelouch and because during the last two games she played paper, Lelouch would pick scissors)

It was the first time Lelouch and Marina had ever worked together towards a common goal. That goal being that Aurora would get to ride with Lelouch in the sidecar. It was a rare occurrence...

Armageddon inducing, even.

"See?" Lelouch said, smiling in a saccharine manner. "I told you you'd win eventually."

"Congratulations Ro!" Marina's smile was every bit as sugary as Lelouch's. "I told you your luck would change!"

But Lelouch's words seemed to be of more importance as Aurora began gushing words of surprised delight directed at Lelouch and the boy laughed and conversed with her. Frowning, Marina proceeds to the sidecar and begins to fish out her helmet and accompanying sunglasses.

"If you try anything..." she whispered threatingly as Rivalz's gaze met hers. "You are d-e-a-d."

Rivalz raised his gloved hands in a "Who me? I wouldn't do anything!" gesture which Marina could trust to be the truth. Rivalz may consider himself a real Casanova but he was completely terrified of Marina thanks to the one time he sidled up to her and, voice practically a purr, asked her out...

It was weeks before Rivalz was able to handle simple math.

* * *

"Say..." Rivalz began amiably as they drove along the highway, heading back towards Ashford. "Why did you move your king first?"

Lelouch didn't even look up from his book as he spoke. "If the king doesn't lead the charge, his men won't follow."

"Hey, do you want to be a CEO or something, Lelouch?" Rivalz said trying to keep the conversation going. He really disliked silence.

"Of course not. Such grandoise dreams lead to self destruc-"

As if calling Lelouch at his hypocritical statement a blaring horn sounded behind them. Marina whipped her head around to look and found there was a large truck almost on top of them which caused her to scream, "TRUCK!!"(even though the warning was quite unnecessary since everyone had noticed by then.)

Rivalz swore and swerved out of the way nearly hitting the concrete road sides and the four of them stare as a dust cloud rises as the truck swerves onto a closed section of road and crashes into a building that was under construction.

"Is...that our fault...?" Rivalz asked nervously as the dust cloud began to settle.

"Of course not," Lelouch said as he helped Aurora sit back up as the sudden course change had caused her to bump into him. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"F-Fine," she stuttered as she tried to return he hair that had falling in her face to it's proper location without removing her helmet. She was without success.

"W-What was _THAT_!?" Marina cried, staring at the wreckage with wide brown eyes. If Rivalz weren't so shocked by the whole incident himself he would've been quite please; Marina was clinging to him must tighter then he thought she ever would.

"That was a transport, obviously," the dark-haired boy said as he took pity on the girl beside him-who with her long hair hanging infront of her face resembled a sheepdog- and helped move the hair out of her eyes.

"I know _THAT_!" she snapped. "I mean, why was it going, like, a _bazillion_ kilometers per hour!? Don't those things go _slower_ then the speed limit!?"

Lelouch bit the inside of his cheek and forced down a chuckle. When Marina was upset she _still_ babbled and whined and complained more then any girl he had ever known.

He didn't go out of his way to notice these things, but when you've been in the same class as someone for since seventh grade you tend to notice these things, and Lelouch's memory didn't let him forget anything that could prove to be useful in the future...

Like how Aurora's compasion compelled her to discard her helmet and glasses and leap over the barrier and race across sandy ground towards the truck and half-demolished building. Or how she actually listened to him when he told her to wait and didn't move an inch until he arrived.

Or how Marina accidentally beamed Rivalz with her helmet as she tore after them, desperately yelling at them to come back since it was dangerous.

"This is dangerous," she cried as she watched the boy and the fairer-haired girl climb the ladder affixed to the truck. "We don't know if the building is going to collapse or not!"

Lelouch didn't even spare her a glance. "You're in the army and you're gunna leave injured people inside?"

"We don't know if they're injured though!" she protested as she scrambled up the ladder. "The police should be coming soon, so unless you have extensive first-aid training even if they're hurt you can't do anything! Before you guys get hurt too, come down!"

"Wait! I think this is a way in!" Aurora indicated the open portion of the truck's roof. "I just want to see if anyone's hurt!"

"How are you going to get out, though!?"

Lelouch ignored the two bickering girls and peered inside. It was dark, even with the natural light of the sun streaming down it was difficult to see anything but a tiny section.

And that's when he heard it...

'_I found you...my..._'

Lelouch blinked and leaned further inside. Was there a person hiding in that dark corner over there?

"Guys, I don't think these kinds of trucks don't have ladders on the _inside_!" Marina protested as she scrambled onto what little room there was left on the roof and carefully peered inside the cavity as well. "Unless we can figure a way to get out the back-which might be tricky since the cab might be crushed-we shouldn't go in there-"

With A loud squeal of tires, the truck suddenly lurched backwards sending the three teens tumbling inside. Unaware of the new passengers they picked up, the driver and woman at shot-gun drove off towards the ghetto...

* * *

"Awww!! I was too late!!" said a young man of about twenty-years of age as he squeezed his way through the stunned crowd and leaned over the concrete barrier. His brown hair was wind-swept and his tan skin glistening with sweat as though he had run a great deal. His golden eyes watched the truck speed away before snorting and taking off once again. "Jeez, why do you always get yourself in these situations _Nee-san_!"

* * *

Disclaimer: We do not own Code Geass, Sunrise does. If we did own Code Geass, Marina, Auroura and the mysterious character at the end of the chapter would be canon!


	2. Chapter 2

(Ichigo: Two chapters in five days! Hopefully we can make it three in ten!

Aki: We won't keep you long, so sit back and enjoy!)

Disclaimer: Same as last time, we don't own Code Geass...we wish we did though.

_After the Second Pacific war, Lelouch never expected to see Suzaku Kururugi again. He certainly didn't expect to meet him this way: in an abandoned subway tunnel with the Eleven being a member of the Britannian army and him a student who had just gotten into something way over his head. _

_He also didn't expect such strong bonds to form that day. He had hoped his and Suzaku's bond would still be as strong as ever..._

_What he didn't expect was Suzaku to form new bonds, and depend on someone else-two people, even- to the point he was no longer needed..._

_Then again, Nii-sa-Lelouch was wrong about a lot of things..._

_Note written by ??. Original document donated by Charlotte Hanson on October 15__th__, 2020 a.t.b._

Chapter 2: A Pheonix Faces South with Hope in It's Eyes and a Secret in It's Heart

Back in elementary school the teachers always said to have a back-up plan in case of emergencies such as fires and if a burglar happens to break into your house. Always have alternative exits and stuff like that.

Stuck in the back of a large transport the only available exits were: A) through the back door which the goods are loaded in and out, B) through either the passenger or the driver's door located in the cab in the front behind another door or C) back up through the hole which, in this case, the victims fell in through.

Options A and B were out since the back door didn't have a release mechanism located nearby, only in the cab did it have one. B is also out because not only do they have to get through a locked door, it's doubtful the driver and/or the passenger are simply gunna let them crawl over their lap(s) and out the door.

And C was out because...well...

There was no ladder inside.

Which meant Marina was right.

But she wasn't gloating about it, and that's what had Lelouch worried.

It meant the situation was more serious then it seemed, and there was a more pressing matter...

So Lelouch stopped his thorough-almost-OCD inspection of the walls, and turned towards Marina to find her staring at a large, tulip bulb shaped contraption that was occupying approximately half the available space.

"Do you know what that is, Marina?"

The look of terror in her eyes was all he needed to see to know exactly what and who they were dealing with. Thus when Marina suddenly leapt into a dark corner, and the door to the cabin slid open, and a ray of light entered the cabin accompanied by footfalls, Lelouch pulled Aurora behind the device and tried to make himself as small as possible.

"You can get into the ghetto through the subway," a young woman said as she shed her jacket revealing a skin-tight red-and-brownish beige ensemble and advanced towards a small stepladder that lead to something hidden in the dark.

"Kallen," a man's voice was coming out of the walkie-talkie, "Let's use it!" he said.

"That would mean a massacre!"

"Y-Yeah, you're right..."

A moment later the back door opened, and a red Glasgow exited to combat the Sutherland and the helicopters in pursuit of the truck. Before any of the three teenagers could reach the door, it slid shut in their faces.

They were trapped once again.

* * *

It was even darker now, and bumpy.

Very, very bumpy.

It was quiet, and eerie. No one had said anything for awhile, not since the truck entered the old subway system.

"My cellphone's not connecting," Lelouch's deep voice cut through the gloom suddenly as he stared at the non-functioning mobile device.

"Mine neither," Marina said

"Me three," Aurora said.

Silence fell once again.

"Yes, I know..." Lelouch murmured as his hand closed over the hand-held radio that was in the pocket of the jacket the red-haired girl left behind. "I don't know where the army is but we can look at the terrorist's transmitter...Marina, you know the frequency the army uses, right?"

Marina made a small "hmm" sound which was apparently an affirmative answer since she took the device from him and began adjusting the dials as best as she could in near complete darkness.

Silence fell for the third time, intermittent only by the occasional buzz of soft static from the radio.

"Ah! I forgot!"

The two girls exchanged looks. "Forgot what?"

"About Rivalz,"

"Ah...!"

* * *

"God, they just took off somewhere without me!" Rivalz wallowed in misery as he pushed his damaged motorcycle along the road in the direction of Ashford Private Academy, "I hate you, Lelouch! You and your stupid harem!!"

!!

"Poor Rivalz!" Aurora covered her mouth in horror.

"Guess we owe him an apology," Marina stopped fiddling with the radio, "Guess I should buy him some candy or something."

"Just give him a kiss," Lelouch suggested with a playful grin that was mostly hidden by the darkness, "Much cheaper, and it'd make him much happier."

Marina hissed. "You...!!"

"I-Is that all it takes to make a guy happy?"

"Men are simple creatures," Lelouch said sagely, flicking his dark bangs out of his eyes.

Marina raised an eyebrow. "Including you?"

"I'm not your average man,"

"You're right," Lelouch stared at the back of her head. "You look more like a girl then a guy who's turning eighteen this December."

Lelouch felt blood rise into his neck and his anoyance rose with it. "Hey-!"

Lelouch's comeback-guaranteed to be brilliant, or so the fangirls would say-was cut drastically short when there was a loud crash and the truck shook violently sending Lelouch falling off his crate and onto the floor, Aurora tumbling forward-her fall only broken by her hands-and Marina backwards into the crate she had been sitting against.

"An obstacle?!" Lelouch murmured in a harsh whisper as he look towards the direction of the disturbance.

"Forget about that!" Marina cried as she shoved Lelouch and Aurora deeper into the shadows as an unnoticed door in the side of the truck slide open and a thin stream of light streaming from the ceiling illuminated the contents of the truck.

However, Lelouch returned back to the illuminated section of the truck and began to examine the now clearly visible object. "If we can just get to the surface..."

Marina stiffened as her keen ears picked up the sound of running footsteps and a quick glance showed a Britannian soldier fast approaching. "LULU! WATCH IT!"

Startled, Lelouch spun around just in time to block the incoming spinning kick with his forearms, however the force of the attack sent him crashing to the floor where he was soon pinned down by his neck.

There was a soft hiss as the soldier removed the gas mask and then said "Don't kill anymore!" words that peaked Marina's interest. Because of her family, having been in the military "buisness"(as her father called it) she had met a lot of soldiers and she had yet to meet one that would seem more likely to reason with someone rather then snap their neck. 'Still...' she thought as she pushed Aurora behind her back. 'That doesn't mean he _won't_...'

"Wait!" Lelouch protested, deep voice laced with a trill of fear, "I'm not-we're not-"

"Poison gas? Don't play dumb!" the soldier jumped back as Lelouch swung his long legs trying to catch the soldier in the stomach or side with a foot.

"Britannia made that poison gas, didn't it?" Lelouch hissed through his teeth as he stood and stepped into the light,"You don't want anymore deaths? Then destroy the Britannian Empire!"

"…Lelouch?"

The three students stared at the soldier as he uttered Lelouch's name and removed his helmet. "It's me," the soldier said, "Suzaku."

They all stared. Behind all the gear was a boy of there age-an Eleven even. Behind all the gear was a boy with thick, wavy brown hair, lightly tanned skin and brillant verdant eyes that shown with a mix of relief and happiness that his smile wasn't able to capture.

Aurora was relieved-there was something about this boy, this Suzaku, that was comforting. Marina was relieved but also felt an indescribable feeling stirring in the pit of her stomach. Dread, maybe? Lelouch, on the other hand, was even more tense.

Suzaku? Kururugi Suzaku? The same Suzaku who punched him in the stomach when they first met, would always take him on impossible hikes, and laugh boisterously when Lelouch would only go a few dozen meters before complaining about his feet or that the path was too difficult, and who, eventually, take pity on him and carry him back to the temple on his back? _That Suzaku?!_

"Suzaku? You...you became a Britannian soldier?" Lelouch said breathlessly shaking is head in disbelief, "No, it can't be! What the-"

Suddenly a burst of brilliant multicoloured light issued from the sphrical object, and along with the rainbow-coloured light show soft hisses were heard as locks opened. Lelouch barely had time to wonder what was going on before Suzaku knocked him to the ground and a gas mask covered his face. Out of the corner of his eye he could barely make out Marina pushing Aurora to the ground as well, the sleeve of her blazer covering Aurora's mouth. It was a poor substitute for a gas mask, but it was the thought that counts.

Fortunately it turned out gas masks were unnecessary since in a brilliant burst of white light the capsule opened to reveal a teenage girl with long, bright green hair dressed in the uniform of Britannian prisoners.

"It's not poison gas?"

No one said anything. It was fairly obvious that this girl wasn't poison gas. Either that or the girl was a delusion induced by the gas slowly causing their brains to cease functioning.

"A girl?"

Lelouch almost rolled his eyes. It appeared that both Suzaku and Marina had the habit of stating the blatantly obvious.

!!

"Does this look like poison gas, Suzaku?" Lelouch asked as he supported the dazed girl against his body as he began undoing the straps that held the collar of the full-body suit over the girls mouth.

It had been a few minutes since they had discovered the girl inside the capsule. Once everyone's hearts had stopped pounding a million miles a minute they had hauled the girl out of the truck and settled her on the ground.

"But in the briefing they said..." Suzaku muttered as he unzipped the zippers that were binding the pant legs of the suit together.

Marina thought about making a snappish comment along the lines of "You were obviously lied too" when flood lights suddenly illuminated the area causing her and the others-except for Suzaku who had his back to them-to squint.

"Damn monkey," spat a tall man dressed in a red uniform and a matching hat, "Even a genuine Britannian isn't permitted to touch that!"

"But I was told it was poisonous gas!" the honourary Britannian protested as he ran over to where his superior and fellow soldiers were standing.

"You have no right to question us!" the man growled.

Lelouch swallowed, his Adam's Apple bobbing up and down in his throat as sweat began to trickle down the bag of his neck, dampening his ink-black hair. 'This is bad,' he thought. 'This is poisonous indeed. It would be the deadliest poison to Suzaku's superiors if this were this to become known...not even the ranks of Marina's family can get us out of this...'

"But I recognize your valour, and will give you another chance," the man continued as he extracted a gun from behind his back and held the silver and black weapon out to the young soldier, "Use this to kill the terrorists."

For the fourth time in an hour, silence rang.

Only it now buzzed with palatable fear.

"They're not!" the young soldier turned his gaze from the weapon to the tense and scared faces of the students behind him. "They're just civilians that got caught up in all this. It's a misunderstanding-"

"HOW DARE YOU!?" the four teenagers cringed. Apparently Plan the First was a no go. "You swore allegiance to Britannia! I am giving you an order!"

"W-Wait a minute...!" Marina weakly protested; the blood was draining from her face. This wasn't good. This was...this was bad! They were going to die! There's no way a honorary Britannian would not obey a direct order with the threat of being sent back-jobless and penniless- to the ghettos where he would be confronted by his fellow Japanese and branded as a traitor and ostracized. There was no way-!!

"I cannot,"

Brown eyes widened to the point they were in danger of popping out of her skull. _What did he say?_

"What did you say!?"

Great. The gorilla can read minds.

"I cannot. I will not. I will not kill civilians. I will not shoot them."

Marina was stunned. This guy went against all conventions. "You...?"

"Then die,"the man said calmly as he pressed the muzzle of the gun against a small unprotected section of Suzaku's suit,

He pulled the trigger, the sound of the bullet firing, the sound of a body hitting ground, the sound of screams, of Suzaku's name, filled the air. An order was given. It was cut off by the truck exploding.

And through the bellowing clouds of smoke, the three living teenagers and the mysterious girl made their escape.


	3. Chapter 3

(Ichigo: Oops, this is up a bit later then we planned...

Aki: Sorry, Ichigo's in the middle of getting ready to leave for university so the updates will probably only be once a week now, sorry!

Ichigo: With all business taken care of, let's go!)

Disclaimer: Third time's the charm, so maybe you'll get it now: We do not own Code Geass.

"_There is a fairy tale that my mother used to tell me. It was about a princess who didn't know she was a princess, who became friends with a girl who didn't know how to love, who fell in love with a prince who had frozen his heart to everyone, even her. The princess did whatever she could to help the prince, but she always hid something from him, even when the prince opened his heart to her. The princess held a horrible secret in fear that the prince would hate her. _

_There is more to the story then that, but that's the part of the story that still bothers me, even to this day. Because even now, all these years later, the irony of that fairy tale never fails to remind me of my own misfortune..."_

_It was the first time in over a year that I remembered feeling a twinge of sympathy for him. Then I remember that he broke his own heart, and suddenly I didn't care anymore._

"_You shouldn't have held your hand out to her," I replied._

_He smiled sadly. "Yes...I probably shouldn't have._"

_Excerpt from the first draft of Kururugi Suzaku's biography. Adapted from his journals with the permission of his family. _

Chapter 3: With This Eye, The Nightmare Game Shall Begin

A shrill scream. '

_Marina's voice, _Lelouch thinks. He can't be certain. His eyes are buzzing from the explosion, and his eyes are burning from the smoke.

"This way, Ro!"

"B-But, what about Lelouch!?"

What about him, indeed? He glances towards the girl who has scrambled to her feet as best as she can with her arms still bound. He had to take her with him, some part of him registered. So he grabbed her by her shoulders, and steered her in the direction of the barely audible voices, and they rushed through the smoke after them.

"Don't worry!" Marina's voice was strong, commanding, not portraying a hint of fear. Moments like this, when someone needed someone constant, were the times when she shone, "Even if we get separated, Lelouch is resourceful. He can find a way out of any situation! Right now we have to worry about getting to safety, about getting you to safety. I'm one-hundred-percent sure that's Lulu's main priority too."

Lelouch almost snorted. One-hundred-percent? She was certainly confident that she knew him like an open book. Quite ironic considering she was the easy one to read--

_Thud_

"Ro!!"

"Lulu!!"

Lelouch blinked as he found himself pinned to the wall by Aurora's body, squashed in a hug as the mysterious girl lay sprawled on the floor and Marina darting towards them from the other end of the tunnel from where she was before Aurora broke free of her grip.

Speaking of people who were easy to read...

"Aurora?" he asked even though he already knew why she was clinging to him so tightly.

"You're okay...y-you're okay, right...?" Aurora asked trembling as familiar images of massacre and death filed her vision. Some she knew from where and others were unfamiliar to her, and those were the ones that scared her, "Tell me you're okay..."

"Y-Yes," he said, feeling very uncomfortable but wrapped his arms around her back nonetheless. "I'm fine."

As soon as he wrapped his arms around her did she jumped away as though he was on fire. "Sorry...got a little carried away," she laughed nervously and returned to Marina's side as she drew upon them.

"What are the chances?" Lelouch asked Marina.

"In a large group it'll be difficult to sneak around, it'd be easiest if we go off on our own, but there aren't enough escape routes for that. There are only two exist out of this tunnel," she jerked her thumb over her shoulder, "One's that way, and the other," she pointed towards the darkness over Lelouch's shoulder, "Is the way we came."

Lelouch frowned, silent as he considered his options. He had a feeling that he needed to stay near the green-haired girl. He didn't know why, but he felt it, deep, deep in his gut. On the other hand, he wanted to stay near Aurora, as well. Almost as deep in his gut. He didn't want to think of the look Nunnally would be wearing when she found out Aurora had been injured. However, she would be safest with Marina.

"If you run into a group of soldiers other then the ones who saw us with...her," he gestured towards the girl dressed in white with a jerk of his head, "Do you think you'll be able to escort Aurora out safely?"

She nodded. "Mm. Once they contact my family, and prove it's me, they won't risk letting either of us go off on our own. They'll keep us on the base," she shrugged, "Probably."

Lelouch chewed the inside of his cheek as he thought. Aurora would be in more danger with him, but did he really want to chance leaving her-someone Nunnally held dear- with Britannia?

"Go," he said finally.

Marina looked perplexed. "Beg your pardon?"

He jerked his head in the direction she previously indicated. The direction that lead towards the truck...and Suzaku. "Take her and go. I'll sneak her, whoever she is, out and meet up with you where ever."

"B-But!!" Aurora sputtered.

Lelouch squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Please, just get out of here."

Aurora opened her mouth to protest, but something about the look in Lelouch's brilliant plum eyes made her stop, and hang her head in defeat.

"I'm counting on you," he said seriously as Marina wrapped her arms around Aurora's shoulders.

The girl looked him in the eye and nodded. "See you," she said.

He nodded as well. "See you."

It was the closest they had ever come to expression wishes for the others safety...

* * *

"Hey," Marina spoke softly as she slowly guided a sniffling Aurora towards the light at the end of the tunnel(ironic that this was their destination since most _avoid_ the light at the end of the tunnel), "It's alright. Lulu'll be fine. I doubt that guy'd die from anything, he's too stubborn and headstrong."

Whoops. Saying "I doubt that guy'd _die_" was the wrong thing to say. Aurora began to cry even harder. Marina sighed and tucked a brown strand of hair behind her ear before tucking an equally brown strand behind Aurora's ear and began rubbing her back. She had never been good at comforting people...

"Even if that's true," Aurora began a few moments later as she dashed a few remaining tears from her eyes. "That doesn't mean I'd worry any less about him."

Marina simply nodded. Best to steer clear of that topic for the moment, she figured. Instead she began to take in their surroundings. They finally made it to the end of the tunnel and found themselves back where they sounded. Shrapnel from the explosion littered the area and the remains of the truck smoldered near a wall which now sported a gapping hole providing an adequate escape route, albeit they had no way to know where it was coming out, but what choice did they have?

Their other options were the tunnels. There was the one the truck had been traveling down. They could, in theory, go south and continue deeper into the subway or go north and go back the way the truck came. There was also another tunnel to their right, which Suzaku likely used as an entrance-

Marina's brown eyes softened as she found the boy's body, face down in the dirt, dishonoured and tossed away like a rag. For reasons unfathomable to her, she approached the still body and knelt beside it, smoothing out the tendrils of dark brown hair that were as every bit as thick as they looked to be from meters away.

"Sorry, you shouldn't have done that," she whispered as she retracted her hand.

It was as she was retracting her hand that something peculiar happened. The tips of her fingers brushed slightly against the shell of his ear, and she felt it.

A surge of warmth, accompanied by a faint movement under the skin.

A pulse.

Surprised, but hopeful, she pressed her fingers to the vein is his neck. One second...two seconds...three seconds...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten--there! Another pulse! He was alive! She even turned him partially onto his back so she could place the back of her hand against his nostrils and his mouth. Warm air gusted over the back.

_He was alive!_

"RO!" Aurora spun around immediately. It was the first time she had heard such relief in Marina's voice. "He's alive! He's still alive!"

By the time Aurora had hurried over Marina had already pulled one of Suzaku's arms across her shoulder and stood on shaky legs. Aurora immediately slung his other arm over her shoulders and together they have carried and half dragged the unconscious boy to safety.

During the entire trip they were guided by a slightly older boy. He always stayed far enough away that it was difficult to make anything out but his unruly dark hair and his eyes that shone gold like amber in the sun...

* * *

_Bang!_

Lelouch stared with wild, frightened as eyes the green hair girl fell to the concrete floor, a bullet hole in her head, blood streaming out of the back. They had been so close to getting out, so close. They had just needed to stay quiet until the soldiers left, but then he got that phone call...(he wanted to _kill_ Shirley at that moment...)

And now this girl was dead.

_She was dead..._

_And he was going to be too..._

Suddenly the girl reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Oh...she wasn't dead...

He'd soon learn she couldn't die. Or, at least, not without his help...

* * *

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

Marina winced as her head began pounding and she hastily sat up straight on the stool she was provided when she insisted that she and Aurora would be waiting to see if Suzaku regained consciousness after he received treatment. It was taking ages so Marina had fallen asleep with her head against the wall...

But had she really slept for such a long time that it was her birthday? Her birthday was in June, so it wasn't _that_ far off...

Wait...

She blinked and finally noticed Suzaku's green eyes surveying the room the same way she had been with her brown ones.

Oh...congratulations as in "Congratulations on being alive."

_He could've just said so!_

Suzaku apparently didn't think he had time for the bespectacled male with wavy white hair. He sat with some difficult and looked at the two people around him: the aforementioned man and a young woman with dark blue hair. "Umm...where am I?"

"Hmm?" the man seemed confused. Apparently interrupting his tirades and sending him crashing back to Earth had the effect of startling him out of functioning normally. "Oh, you're still in the Shinjuku ghetto. You were found nearly dead and brought here by a couple of nice, young, pretty girls," he said as he looked back at Marina who looked severely irritated. Marina didn't like being called pretty, she knew it wasn't true. Pretty people _don't_ send guys running the other way when you look at them a little more irritably then they expected.

"I see..." Suzaku smiled slightly at her, "Thank you for her help."

The anger seeped out of her in an instant. There was something about those too brilliant gems he had for eyes that acted the same way a tranquilizer did for a wild beast: it hit sudden, and hard, and lulled them into a peaceful state for a long time...

Instead of wanting to fall asleep, however, Marina was inexplicably nervous, the feeling she had felt in her stomach earlier-the one she labeled as being dread- came back with a vengeance. She hopped off the stool and bowed when she remembered her rudimentary lessons on Japanese etiquette when her family moved to Japan a few months before the war in order to act as spies.

"N-No, thank you for saving me!"

Suzaku looked like he was about to protest but the royal blue-haired woman stepped forward with an object seated atop a white cloth. "This saved you along with your friend. Is it important to you...?"

Suzaku recognized it immediately. It was his father's pocket watch, broken now, the glass shattered and cracked from the center outwards. He took it without hesitation. He stared at it for a moment, drowning out the white-haired man's babble when he suddenly remembered. _Lelouch._

"Hey," he addressed Marina. "Where's Lelouch and your friend?"

She raised an eyebrow. Her friend? Did he mean Aurora? Aurora was right beside her-or not. Upon a second glance at the stool Aurora had occupied before she fell asleep she found it empty, cold, with barely an indent upon it. Aurora had left a long time ago.

"We split up while we were in the subway," she explained as she nervously twirled her hair and chewed on her lip. "Lulu-ah, that's Lelouch's nickname- asked me to get Ro-Aurora, my friend- out and he'd catch up with us later. Guess she went off to look for him..."

Suzaku frowned. He didn't like seeing girls upset.

"Private First Class Kururugi," the man sung. "Do you have any experiences with piloting a Knightmare?"

The two teens blinked. Well, that came out of nowhere.

"Of course not! A former Eleven isn't allowed to become a Knight."

The man just grinned and held up a hand. "And if you could...?"

There, dangling between his thumb, second and third finger was a golden ignition key.

* * *

'Ironic the kinds of people you call when your back is against the wall,' Lelouch thought.

Here he was, in a Knightmare acquired using his new power, trying desperately to figure a way out of this ghetto.

And he had called _Shirley_, the girl who's phone call had nearly gotten him shot, so he could ask her to find out what the news was reporting was going on near the Shinjuku ghetto.

Oh, irony is a cruel one.

_Well,_ he thought as he listened to Shirley prattle about something in his ear. _At least I have chess._

Or, he did. Until a big mass of brown obscured the camera's view of it. Zooming out the object was revealed to be a head. Zooming out even further and the object become a very familiar person...

"Aurora!? What are you!?" he ignored Shirley's squawk of confusion and disconnected the call and hurriedly exited the Sutherland, "Aurora!"

The girl spun at the mentioned of her name and brightened when she saw the caller. "Ah! Lulu!"

"What are you doing!?" he asked, outraged as he decended to the ground. After all that trouble he went through, the blows he allowed to be done to his pride to make sure she'd get to safety...and she blew it by running around in a war zone!?

"I'm looking for you!" she replied, intimidated but hiding it well.

"It's dangerous! In case you haven't noticed, people are being killed left and right!"

"I know that! I was worried...!"

He snorted. "What kind of idiot purposefully puts herself in danger? Marina's probably made herself ill with worry by now."

Stung, Aurora turned her back on him. "I'm sorry for being an idiot, and I'm sorry for worrying about you!"

"Idiot," he chided as he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back towards the Sutherland when she started to stomp off, "I can't let you walk back. You have to stay with me until this blows over."

"I'm not going to stay with you even if you want me to!" she cried as she pulled herself free.

The two teenagers stood there, mute as the sounds of war, of gun turrets and explosions, carried on behind them. Finally, Lelouch acquisted and held out a hand to her.

"I apologized for being rude. Please," he gave his hand a little shake to draw her attention back to it and smiled reassuringly.

After a moment's hesitation, she reached out and took his hand.

It had began.

* * *

Meanwhile, a certain orange-haired swimmer was beside herself.

"GOD! Don't call me when you're on a date, Lulu!!"


	4. Chapter 4

(Ichigo: Urg...sorry about taking so long to get this out...This chapter has been done for awhile but we kept forgetting to post it.

Aki: Good news about that is that chapter 5 is already ready to go, so we'll have that up within a week or so.

Ichigo: And since I've discovered I can manage writing and still get good grades at university, the pace should be roughly the same it was before school started up again--a chapter every week.

Aki: Yep! Also, there won't be the big paragraph exceprts that there will before...but there will be at least a line or two of dialogue in italics before the chapter title. But anyway, enjoy the long-awaited chapter four!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass...do you really think we'd be here if we did?

"_In a world like this...it's best not to trust anything...I guess..."_

Chapter 4: Vantage Point

"I have a plan to get us out," Lelouch said when they became temporarily encased in darkness as the hatch closed behind them. "But you have to be completely silent. You can't utter a word."

Aurora lips pressed into a thin line. She wasn't sure how he expected her to say anything when she was squished between the seat and the door, she could barely _move_. Nonetheless, she nodded.

Lelouch nodded in return and extracted the transmitter he had procured earlier from the truck and began tapping it to the console after doing some fiddling so his voice would be transmitted into the device through another walkie-talkie.

Aurora raised her eyebrows as she watched. 'Where did he get all this stuff?' she wondered.

* * *

It was chaos. There were Britannians everywhere. On foot, in Knightmares, everywhere. All the Japanese had were some old, useless tanks, and one Glasgow. The same one that had been in the truck with Lelouch, Aurora and Marina. The pilot was the same red-haired girl they had seen.

And she was in trouble.

Her Glasgow was missing one arm now, lost when the Slash Harken locked up, and she was forced to eject it in order to get her away from a very persistent Sutherland pilot.

In fact, the very pilot was on her tail at the very moment. She could, in theory, lose him eventually. But at what expense? She only had thirty minutes of energy left before the battery died.

"West! Go west!" an unknown voice crackled through her radio.

Kallen was startled momentarily but was immediately on the defensive. Was he a Britannian soldier? "Who is this!? How did you know this frequency!?"

"That doesn't matter! If you want to win, trust me!"

"Win?" Well, that was promising. Really, what did she have to lose? She had a bunch of Britannian losers on her tail.

So when the train tracks came in sight she hopped onto them with her Knightmare and began heading west and waited. No further instructions came. "Hey! What am I supposed to do now!?" she cried becoming nervous as a train roared down the tracks towards her and Sutherland closed on her from behind.

Suddenly The Voice was back. "In return for believing me, I'll help you win. Jump on it!"

He didn't need to tell her twice. Kallen immediately hopped along the train cars. The train engine ran into the lead Sutherland, which began to hold it back, slowing until it came to a grinding halt.

Kallen turned back around when she heard the sounds of an explosion and gunfire and noticed that the remaining Sutherland had been engaged in gunfire by another Sutherland which had hidden in the ruins of a destroyed building. The ambushed Sutherland had a damaged leg and was taking deadly aim at the other. Without thinking Kallen charged back towards them, a battle cry tearing itself from her throat.

Intimidated-or realizing it was futile- the pilot of the damaged Sutherland ejected the cockpit which flew a good many kilometres away and floated to the ground with the aid of parachutes.

"Thanks!" Kallen cried as she turned to face the unknown pilot. "But how did you get a Sutherland?" she blinked as she noticed that the Knightmare was gone.

'Eh?' she thought, 'Where did he go?'

* * *

"Kallen!" called Ougi as he rushed over with some of the others-all wearing the same red bands around their forehead, Ougi distinguishable from them all thanks to his drastically curly hair- having seen the interaction, "We got everyone out-"

A loud buzzing began emanating from his radio. He looked at it, confused.

"Are you the leader?" The Voice asked. When Ougi gave an affirmative reply, The Voice continued, "I'll give you everything in this train as a present. Tools to win this fight. If you wish to stand victorious, listen to my commands!"

Suddenly the place was buzzing with activity as everyone shouted excitedly as they examined the contents of the train which were primarily Sutherlands.

"You in the Glasgow," said The Voice, "Those machines don't suit your style. How many minutes do you have left?"

"About fifteen minutes,"

"Then put in a new battery pack. I'll give out new orders in fifteen minutes," with that The Voice dissipated and nothing else was heard from him until precisely fifteen minutes later.

* * *

"This is unexpectedly tiring," Lelouch sighed as he sagged into the back of his seat, "You did well, Aurora. You didn't even gasp."

Aurora stayed silent. She released her grip on the back of the seat and instead gripped Lelouch's shoulders and began kneading the skin and muscles.

Lelouch momentarily stiffened before going limp in his seat, his head lolling forward so his chin rested against his chest as the tension in his shoulder, neck and back began to evaporate as her fingers worked out every knot, tight spot and pressure points. "No wonder the President is always asking you for massages, you're good."

Aurora laughed. "Glad I could be some help..."

Lelouch didn't say anything after that and simply relaxed, enjoying the peaceful state that covered him like a thick blanket. It was like he was floating on a river, floating on the ocean, all his worries washing away. He felt light, yet somehow heavy as well.

"Lulu! Lulu!"

Lelouch frowned. Why was he shaking? And...what was hitting his cheek?

"Wake up, Lulu! It's been fourteen minutes!"

Lelouch jolted awake. "T-Thank you!" he stuttered, as he adjusted his jacket before retrieving his other walkie-talkie.

It took all Aurora had to suppress a squeal of delight and hug him tightly. 'He's so cute!' she thought.

Especially when he began giving orders with a healthy flush.

* * *

"Hey! Um...Suzaku-kun!"

Confused, Suzaku-clad in his brand-new pilot's suit- turned to find Marina a few paces away. "Hmm?"

"Um...please, look after Lulu and Ro for me."

Suzaku smiled a bit, gripped her shoulders, and straightened her out from the bow she had sunk into. "I'll do my best..."

She looked nervous now, her smile a bit crooked. "I'm sure you'll be able too. I've got a good feeling about this," well, her stomach was in even tighter knots now, but maybe she should start trying to associate it with positive emotions rather then negative ones? How this feeling could be good was beyond her, though, "You probably don't need it but good luck."

Suzaku ruffled her hair. "Mm, thanks."

"See you...later?" she asked, peaking up at him from behind a curtain of mussed brown bangs.

"Y-Yeah," he stuttered, feeling his face heat up for a currently-inexplicable reason, "See you..."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay, bye-bye!" and with that she was off again, only glancing back at him once as she rounded a corner and disappeared out of sight.

Momentarily dazed Suzaku stood there for a moment before crashing back to reality and heading in the same direction she did. Only instead of turning the corner and entering the control room, he climbed up and entered the waiting Knightmare.

The Lancelot.

* * *

Hmm...that was cake.

Well, sort of.

He still needed to get inside the base and kill Clovis...

But the actual battle part went well. The Japanese/Elevens responded well to his commands and victory was easily won.

However...there was one Britannian who wouldn't listen to him even when a dozen Elevens did.

"Eh!? No way!" Aurora squawked when Lelouch commanded her to go ahead of him and return back to the base and then home.

Lelouch scowled, his eyebrows drawing into a V. "Au-ro-ra," he stressed the syllables of her name and pointed again. "Go."

She still faltered. "W-What about you?"

"I have something to take care of. Don't worry, I'll be fine." Lelouch inwardly sighed. Aurora was stubborn, she wasn't just going to leave without some...persuasion. "If you come visit me tonight, I'll have a present for you."

"Really!?" Aurora was excited. A present from Lelouch!? He's never given her a present before, not even on her birthday!

The corners of Lelouch's mouth twisted upwards into a slight smirk. _That's more like it_, he thought.

"Really, but you have to go back to the base."

"Hmmm...okay, fine! You better come back without a scratch!" she threatened with a jab of her finger in his direction before hurrying off.

Lelouch sighed, the tension evaporating from his body. _Thank _God_,_ he thought as he climbed back inside the Knightmare and closed the hatch behind him. _That girl, I'll never understand her..._

* * *

Marina Clemens was never good at waiting. She could never sit somewhere for hours on end. She had to move, she had to do something.

Marina Clemens, thus, never handled worry well. Aurora expected the reaction she got when she returned to the military base and her friend caught sight of her, even the yelling of generic insults and tackling her to the hard ground before the interrogation was expected.

"Are you stupid!?" Marina demanded as she roughly shook the long-haired brunette by her slim shoulders. "Why would you go running off after Lulu?! I...I had to ask his friend to look for you guys when he sortied...I...I..." her voice broke as tears ran down her cheeks. "I thought he was gunna come back and tell me you were dead..."

Aurora was stunned. It had been so long since Marina had shed even a single tea. "M-Mari-chan...I'm sorry!" she cried as she hugged the taller girl.

"I-It was so embarrassing asking him!" Marina cried through sniffles. Aurora almost giggled. Marina always bared her heart when she was upset; Aurora always thought it was the cutest thing. "I made a fool of myself in front of him and I got all shy...I probably looked so weird going out of my way to ask him such a favour..."

Aurora listened as Marina rambled on and on, only one thought circling around in her mind, over, and over, and over, again. "You like him," she said as a slow smile spread across her face.

Marina's face turned bright red. _Jackpot!_ thought Aurora.

"W-What!? No way! Why would you think that!? I was just taking advantage of the fact he owed me a favour for saving his life!"

"No! You saving his life _paid him back_ for sparing _our_ lives," Aurora was smirking diabolically now. "Although you asked him to go look for me and Lulu, I know you enjoyed the experience and the small talk. Besides," the smirk grew impossibly wider. "I'm pretty sure that before you fell asleep you were staring pretty intensely when they were taking his uniform off so they could bandage him up!"

Marina's face was now an odd shade of puce. Aurora was batting a thousand. "W-W-What!? That's a lie! I did not! I totally did not! ON BOTH ACCOUNTS!"

But Marina's words were ignored as Aurora hugged her head to her chest and cooed like a proud mother about what a wonderful couple they'd be. She ignored all denials. The only time she stopped cooing to answer something Marina said was to counter Marina's proclamation that it was too soon for her to like him and Aurora agreed saying she was simply "warm for his form."

_G-_G_od_, Marina thought as her blush became less red and more purple. _T-This...this is all your fault Lulu!!_

* * *

_KA-CHOO!_

Perplexed, Lelouch Lamperouge blinked as his head seemed to be spinning from a mind blowing sneeze before heading off to complete his task: the murder of his half-brother Prince Clovis.


	5. Chapter 5

(Ichigo: Here be Chapter 5!

Aki: It's shorter then usual...we originally planned to make it longer, but we liked where it ended so we're leaving it where it is.

Ichigo: Chapter 6 coming your way ASAP! Enjoy)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass. So don't you dare bother us about it!

"_If there was a girl who was just as happy taking care of Nunnally as you are...would you still refuse her...?"_

Chapter 5: Through the Eyes of a Student...

_Crunch, crunch. Riiiiiiip. Crunch, crunch_.

_It's amazing the things you do to avoid losing face,_ Lelouch Lamperouge thought as he crammed lavender tissue paper into a violet gift bag with such ferocity many pieces of the fragile paper tore in his hands.

"Onii-sama?"

Lelouch paused his movements, slowing turning his head to see his wheelchair bound sister in the doorway of his room. "Yes?"

"Aurora-san's here to see you. Should I tell her to come back tomorrow? Are you busy? I heard rustling..."

"N-No! It's fine...send her up," he watched as Nunnally smiled before reversing and moving down the hall. Quickly he shoved the bag and its contents underneath his desk and opened the first workbook his hand touched, grabbed a pencil and pretended to poor over his homework for Advanced Trigonometry and tried his best to ignore Aurora's soft giggles from outside the door.

"Um, can I come in?" she asked, clearing her throat and ridding herself of the giggles, venturing inside when he beckoned her to do so. "Homework?"

"Shirley brought it over a little while ago. She's probably waiting back at the dorms to ambush you," he explained as he erased the incorrect value for the tangent of the triangle in problem 13b and set his pencil down to 'look' for the present, pretending it was of no great sacrifice or meaning by pretending to misplace it. "Now, where did I put it? Ah...here it is. I got this for Nunnally but she didn't like it. So I was going to return it, but then I thought you might like it."

Aurora ignored the fact Lelouch was being a jerk, simply happy to receive a present from him. Without hesitation she began to grope through the tissue paper until she finally pulled out a fat, cylindrical object. "Uwah...!"

"It's just a jar of candy..."

Aurora giggled. "That's why I like it! What are the chances that everything's purple, though? Thank you!"

Lelouch coughed awkwardly. He hopped Marina wouldn't spill the beans one day about how he called her on his cell, frantically asking what Aurora's favourite colour was and hanging up as soon as he got his answer. "Your welcome...now, I have more trigonometry to finish. Please be careful on your way home."

Aurora laughed again and bid him good night and left.

Lelouch sighed and returned to his work momentarily before he heard the sound of the wheelchair motor and the sound of the tea china jingling. "Nunnally?"

"Is Aurora-san still here?" she asked, turning her head in all directions trying to hear some sort of movement.

"No, she left," he said as he rose from his chair and took the tray from her. "Do you want to have tea with me?"

"No!" Lelouch was surprised when Nunnally yanked the tray back, setting it in her lap again. "I wanted to have tea with Onii-sama AND Aurora-san!"

Lelouch could only stare as Nunnally motored out of his room for the second time that night. He had no idea Nunnally was so fond of Aurora...

"...ch...Le...ch...Lelouch!!"

_Twack!_

Lelouch blinked his violet eyes open, staring blankly at the blond, busty woman hitting him with a rolled up piece of paper. "Please don't hit me...it hurts, you know."

"That's for leaving me behind!" Rivalz smugly proclaimed.

"That's right..." Shirley glanced at Lelouch beside her suspiciously. "What happened to you guys yesterday?"

_If you say you were on a date with Aurora,_ she thought. _I won't show you any mercy!_

"Alright, alright," cooed Milly. "Let's not start a fight! We've gotta finish calculating the budgets for the clubs! We can't mess up!"

"If we do..." Nina spoke from the computer in the corner.

"The equestrian club's right next door," continued Rivalz. "They'll bust in here again!"

Milly quickly looked behind her as a horse and rider walked past the window. "Rivalz, you're a student council member!"

"We could just wait them out," Rivalz shrugged. "They'll have to give up sooner or later."

"You know, that's actually not a bad idea. Worse comes to worse, Marina'll scare them off, right, Marina?" Lelouch turned to view her reaction but found her staring blankly out the window. "Marina?"

Shirley blinked. "Marina? You okay? It's not like you to space out..."

Aurora smirked. "Ehhhhh? You're thinking about _him, _aren't you?"

Marina turned bright red. "E-Eh!?"

"Him...?" Shirley parroted before gasping. "Eh!? Marina likes someone!?"

"Mm!"

"Ho?" Lelouch leaned forward, folding his hands and propping his chin upon them. "This is much more interesting then calculating club budget's. Miss. High Standard's has finally met someone who meets them. We need to find this guy and crown him king of the world."

Marina turned even redder, silently boiling underneath her skin. Milly thought it was amusing that Marina got more and more red as the council members chatted amongst themselves, but eventually she took pity on the girl. "GUTS!" she cried.

"That guts thing again?" Rivalz murmured as his ears rung.

"Yep! It's a spell to make you work harder!"

"All it does is make me want to find out who this guy is," said Lelouch, dodging a stack of papers Marina threw at him. "I don't think that kind of thing works, President."

Shirley's hand shot into the air. "It works on me!"

"Me too!" Aurora agreed.

"Ah my lovelies"

"I'm sure it'd work on Marina too if she wasn't thinking about her secret lover!"

"S-Secret lover!? It went from having a crush to having a secret lover!?"

"AHA!" Shirley pointed triumphantly. "So there _is_ someone!"

Marina was silent for a moment. "I _really _hate you."

"That's not what I'm talking about, you three," Milly smirked. "Nice racks!" Milly giggled when Marina looked at her tiny chest and scowled at her. "That's not what I meant. I noticed yesterday while we were in the bathroom that you three have a nice balance!"

"Hooooo!" Rivalz cooed as he imagined what Shirley, Aurora and Marina would look without any clothes. The image nearly gave him a nosebleed.

Marina finally had enough. That was the final straw. She snapped. "If you don't forget everything you just heard..." she said softly as a frightening black aura began to emit from her body. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Eek!" shrieked Shirley as she jumped towards Lelouch, wanting him to come to her protection. Instead, Lelouch just looked amused. She scowled.

"W-What about Lulu!?" Rivalz was terrified. He was always scared of Marina and the fact that she was right beside him didn't help either. "He looks pretty happy too!"

"It's okay if it's him...because I know _he_ won't be climbing the tree outside the bath house tonight to _see_ if what Milly said is right!" her evil smile widened as Rivalz trembled slightly when his plot was uncovered. "So if I look through the windows tonight, I won't find you there?"

"N-N-N-N-Not at all!"

Marina's smile was pleasant now. "Good, well, I have to go now," she picked up her bag. "See you."

Lelouch smile was also pleasant. "Please don't do anything stupid with a boy you just met-"

"I'M GUNNA KILL YOU!" she cried, picking up her chair as she burst into flames.

It took the combined efforts of Milly, Rivalz, Shirley and Aurora to subdue her, and all the while, Lelouch just laughed.

Lelouch was lost in thought as he returned from the bathroom where he had upturned his breakfast as the horrific memory of killing his elder half-brother ensnared him in it's pin-point detail. So much for repressing the less glorious details.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn't noticed Aurora until she was right in his face, yelling a barrage of questions into his face.

"W-What? I can't understand you. You're talking too fast."

Aurora blushed. She took a deep breath in, let it out. "How are you feeling...?"

He smiled. "I'm fine. Breakfast just didn't agree with me."

"I see..." Aurora smiled.

"Hey, do you want to come to my place for dinner tonight?"

She was shocked. Where did this come from? It wasn't like him. Maybe he hit his head on the sink? "S-Sure!"

"Then I'll come pick you up at the dorms at five? That way you can change," his smile widened when she nodded. "Nunnally will be so glad to see you."

Aurora smile sudden light up. It was as bright as a 1000-watt lightbulb. She loved Nunnally. Her smile made Lelouch blush. As he looked away for a distraction he spotted a small group of girls crowded around a girl with reddish hair. Lelouch was surprised when he recognized her. He had seen her in a place a simple, sickly, Britannian student should not have been: inside that truck, piloting that Glasgow.

_Now I know why she seemed so familiar..._

"What are you looking at, Lelouch?" Rivalz asked from his seat behind Lelouch. He traced Lelouch's line of sight and grinned. The word 'chance' ringing loudly in his head. "You falling for her?"

"It's just odd. She hasn't come here since the first day, has she?"

"Kallen Stadtfeld. Seems like she's sickly or something, so she only comes to school once in awhile. But her grades are top notch. She's the scion of the Stadfeld family, so she's got tons of money and is nice to boot! YOU'VE GOT GOOD TASTE!" Rivalz proclaimed, giving Lelouch a healthy slap on the back that nearly made the boy choke on his breath.

"Y-You're wrong," Lelouch choked out.

"No need to be ashamed! No need to hide it!" Rivalz sang. "She does seem like she's a bit sheltered, though. But that's okay! You two would look good together!"

Lelouch sighed. He really didn't want to be having this conversation, but if he left it be Rivalz would cause trouble for him. "I'm not interested in her."

Rivalz frowned. He wasn't interested in her? Well, he wasn't giving up that easily.

"Who _are_ you interested in?" he suddenly gasped as an idea came to him. "Could it be Marina?! Is that why you really want to know who she likes?! I could ask her how she feels about you!"

Lelouch sighed, again. This was getting more, and more twisted by the minute. "No, I don't like Marina, and you do realize she'd break your nose for asking her such a personal question?"

"A-Ahahaha...well, who is it then!? There must be _someone_ you have a tiny, itty bitty, interest in!"

Lelouch stayed silent though, using the appropriately timed entrance of the teacher to his advantage, and began to pay attention to the lesson.

Was there someone he had an interest in?

Yes.

Was it anything beyond that, an interest, curiosity?

No.

"Weeeeelllllllll?"

"No comment"

Rivalz sulked, and Lelouch tried to figure out what he was going to do if Kallen Stadtfeld really was the Glasgow pilot. Would he have to...? He felt a wave of nausea overcome him at the thought of having to commit another murder.

He hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.


	6. Chapter 6

(Aki: We've finally got a new chapter out! Hazah!

Ichigo: I don't really like this one, not much happens...

Aki: Well, things will start getting interesting in the next chapter or two, so cheer up Ichi-nee!

Ichigo: Either way, please enjoy the new chapter and look forward to an update soon(oh the joys of winter vacation...)

Aki: Review too, please!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass...if we did a certain something that happens at the end of R2 that reduced Aki to tears for a week wouldn't have happened...

* * *

Chapter 6: An Unanswerable Wish and A Broken Paper Wing

"Ro! Ro!" Marina cried frantically as she raced down the corridor. When she caught up with Aurora, she saw that Aurora was burdened with a stack of print-outs for chemistry class, and she quickly alleviated her of half.

"You're not going to tell anyone, right? About this secret lover thing you thought up?"

"A-Ah..." Aurora was nervous. She knew this was going to end badly. "Someone else already did..."

The papers fell out of Marina's hands and landed on the floor with a dull thud. "EH!?"

"Shirley beat me to it!" Aurora complained, upset that she couldn't even spread the news about her own best friend hooking up.

Marina didn't seem to notice Aurora was upset for a very different reason then why Marina was, and fell to her knees. "My life is over..."

"Eh!?" Aurora promptly dropped her stack as well, and hugged the girl. "No, no, no! It's okay! It's normal! You're supposed to have a teenage romance! This is a good thing!"

Marina contemplated reminding her that she was not in love but decided it would be a waste of energy to do it. Aurora was very, very stubborn. "No it's not! If this gets to Kenny he'll lose his marbles and tell my parents, and Dad'll flip and probably go and hunt down any guys I seem too friendly with!"

"But...you're both in the army, right!?" Aurora countered, quickly picking up her stack and following Marina whom had got up and left with her's during her own speech.

"My parents are purists remember? 'Suzaku Kururugi' is a Japanese name. If my Dad finds out he's even a little attached to me...he'll probably find some excuse to put him to death."

Aurora frowned. She had forgotten how Marina's family was. "But, no one but you and me know his name. As long as no one finds out, it's okay, right? We can make something up, right?"

"You know you're saying all this stuff assuming I like him; which I don't," Marina said, defensively.

"Sure, sure."

"I DON'T!"

"Aurora!" Shirley dashed around the corner into view. "Ms. Anderson needs those print outs now-Oh, you're helping her out, Marina--"

Marina glared at her, daring her to say another word. Shirley squirmed under the evil eye and quickly became flustered, nervously chattering about how stuffy the hallway was and hasted to open the window, eager to step out of Marina's line of sight, and found a surprising sight.

"Eh!? Lulu, Kallen-san!" Shirley waved energetically as the two teens below looked up in shock.

"We have chemistry next!" Shirley added. "You gotta hurry up!"

"Ah, crap!" Lelouch appeared distressed, clutching at his hair. "I gotta write my lap report!"

The four girls watched him run away, puzzled. Since when did Lelouch forget to do his homework…?

There was something wrong with this situation.

Very wrong.

* * *

Lelouch picked Aurora up from the girl's dorm promptly at 5 o'clock as planned.

Aurora wasn't surprised. Lelouch was always very punctual. It also didn't surprise her that Lelouch hadn't informed Nunnally of the "surprise guest" before hand. It was just like him to leave something that would make her happy a surprise, something to spring on her at the last possible moment and make her smile that much wider.

"Sorry I'm late," Lelouch said as he entered the room where Nunnally and the maid, Sayoko, sat waiting for him. "I had to retrieve a special guest."

Nunnally tilted her head to the side. She hadn't heard a second set of footsteps when her brother had entered.

"A guest?" Nunnally questioned.

"Evening, Nunnally-chan!" Aurora chirped cheerfully, waving even though the young girl could not see the action.

"Aurora-san!" Nunnally immediately brightened. It had been a long time since she had been around Aurora. "Hello! Are you staying for dinner!?"

"Yes, she is," Lelouch said, answering for Aurora, gesturing to where the brunette could set down her purse.

Nunnally hurriedly began feeling around on the round table before her, gathered many brightly coloured shapes into her hands and held them out in Aurora and Lelouch's direction unaware that some had fallen to the floor.

"Uwah! Origami cranes!" Aurora proclaimed excitedly as she hurried over, her footsteps quiet thanks to her socks. "I know how to make paper roses, want me to show you?"

"Yes, please!"

Smiling, Sayoko held out a packet of square, brightly coloured paper out to Aurora, and Aurora pulled up a chair and began to transform the pile of papers into a flower garden, Nunnally anxiously waiting for when Aurora would let her touch the paper petals of the roses.

Pleased by the results, Lelouch quietly exited the room to put away his things and change. Sometimes, knowing strange and unique people could come in handy after all…

Especially when they bring Nunnally that much joy.

* * *

Despite the fact she was an invited guest, Aurora couldn't help be feel as though she was intruding. The way Nunnally prattled on about in minute detail about every thing that happened that day, the way Lelouch managed to both pay attention and cut up Nunnally's food for her, all felt like routine, like a ritual she shouldn't be privy too…

Not that she regretted coming…it wasn't often she got to spend time with both the Lamperouge siblings.

"Sayoko-san was just showing me how to make origami!" Nunnally cheerfully explained. "It's amazing! I didn't know a single piece of paper could make such wonderful things! A boat, a crane, it could be anything! Show him what you made, Aurora-san!"

"Ta-dah!" Aurora cheered as she held up an assortment of paper flowers for Lelouch's viewing. Some were folded neatly, crisply, while others were more like balled up wads of paper. "Nunnally made some of these too! In fact, some of them look better than mine!"

"That's not true at all! Don't listen to her, Onii-sama! She's lying!" Nunnally protested, a bit of soup dribbling down her chin, having forgotten about the spoon poised in her hands.

"Take your time," Lelouch said, kindly as he cleaned Nunnally's face with a napkin. "Don't get so excited. We're not going anywhere."

Nunnally beamed. "Thank you, Onii-sama, Aurora-san."

"You welcome," Lelouch said, voice even more kind and gentle then before.

"Thank Goodness! You seemed sort of scary last night…"

Lelouch expression darkened. "Really? I'm sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind--"

"But you brightened the day when Aurora-san came by!"

"Nunnally…!" Lelouch hissed, casting his gaze across the table at Aurora, relieved to find that the girl was busy gathering up her dishes. The last thing he needed was her getting the wrong idea.

Nunnally giggled, staying silent for a moment as Aurora exited the room with the dishes, despite Sayoko's protests.

"Hey, Onii-sama, if you're worried about something…why don't you do this?" she held up her hands, a paper crane balanced on her palms. "They say if you make a thousand of these your wish will come true. So if you have a wish, then--"

"Ah, no…" he said, cutting her off. "I don't really have a wish. What about you, Nunnally? Do you have one?"

"Hmm…" she looked thoughtful for a moment. "That the world would find peace--"

"I'm sure it will be by the time your eyes let you see it-"

"-And that Onii-sama loses a bit of weight…"

"…How would you know if I…!?"

Nunnally's smile widened. "You get this ticklish spot on your hips when you've put on weight and you've been jumping lately so I just thought…"

"Ho?" Aurora sang, suddenly at Lelouch's side. This was an interesting piece of information…

Maybe if she just…

Her mind firmly decided, Aurora jabbed her index finger into Lelouch's side, surprised when he leapt to his feet, knocking over his chair, and letting out a girlish squeal.

"See? I was right!" Nunnally giggled.

Aurora covered her mouth, trying to politely stifle her giggles. "Uwah! It's true!"

Lelouch flushed red in embarrassment. "I promise to lose weight…"

"And that the world will find peace and I can see it one day?"

"Yes, that too," Lelouch sat back down, placing his hand ontop of his sister's. "I promise."

Nunnally smiled pleasantly as she shifted her brother's hand so their pinkies were hooked together. "It's how the Japanese make promises. I learnt this the other day."

She then began to sing, pumping their hands in much the way one would during a handshake. "Cross my heart and hope to die, if I lie I have to swallow a thousand needles! It's a promise!"

Lelouch stared blankly at his hand after Nunnally finished and pulled her hand away. Suddenly he chuckled. "That's scary. Do you really have to swallow a thousand needles?"

"Yep! So you can't lie!" Nunnally shook her pinky in his direction for emphasis.

"Don't worry. I never lie."

"Really?"

"Mm…"

"Well then, you don't have to worry about swallowing the needles then!"

Lelouch laughed again, the sound not as rich as it was a few moments ago. "Yes, I suppose I don't."

Lelouch spent the rest of Aurora's visit trapped in his own thoughts, wondering about how he could make his promise to Nunnally come to be. He only noticed how long it had been when the clock chimed ten times.

"Bed time, Nunnally," he said, standing up. "You have a test tomorrow."

Nunnally pouted. "How did you know? Did Charlotte-chan tell you? This isn't fair, I wanted to talk to Aurora-san some more."

"You'll see her again soon," he glanced at Aurora. "Right?"

Taking his glance as a cue, Aurora leapt to her feet and hastened to reassure the girl. "Mm! When ever Nunnally wants, I'll come!"

"Okay then," Nunnally said rather amiably, wheeling herself out. However, she paused at the door and looked back. "Oh, Aurora-san…Onii-sama's ticklish in the middle of his back, the hollow of between his collarbone and neck, behind the ears, on the bottom of his feet, on the inside of his elbow—"

Lelouch was shocked. "N-Nunnally! Why are you…!?"

Nunnally giggled before wheeling herself out. "She would've found out eventually!"

Lelouch sighed, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.

He was starting to get the feeling everyone was beginning to allude to something.

And he didn't like what that "something" was.

He more important things to worry about then dating someone or liking someone, he thought as he returned from his short trip in escorting Aurora home.

Lelouch ventured into the room they had been making paper crafts in, and approached the table. Picking up one of the paper flowers Aurora had folded. Seeing how everyone responded to her, Nunnally really didn't deserve what had happened to her, he would definitely make the world better for her...he would surely destroy Britannia and avenge her and their mother....

On a sudden impulse, Lelouch looked down and noticed a crane was crushed beneath his foot.

* * *

"Would you come with me for awhile? I'd like to speak to you."

Kallen looked up at Lelouch, eyeing him cautiously before she stood up. "I had a feeling you'd ask me out."

Lelouch felt his eyebrow twitch slightly but said nothing. Indeed, potential roadblocks seemed to think he was a normal teenager obsessed with romance and hormonal imbalances.

As did every female in the room, apparently. Most leapt to their feet at the revelation, giving cries of surprise and excitement…

All except one who remained unnoticed, hidden at the back of the room…

* * *

When she hesitantly agreed to stalk Lelouch for the day at Aurora's request, Marina certainly didn't foresee something like _this_ developing.

A quick glance around the corner of the school building showed the two teens she was following were heading towards the Student Council Clubhouse.

Ducking back around the corner, she plopped down onto the grass. Fishing out her barely used cell phone, she breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered she did have service and had not forgotten to pay the flat fee like she did last month. Fumbling slightly, she managed to bring up the text function and began to compose a message at a painstakingly slow pace.

In its interiority the message read, "Heads up! Kallen AND Lulu are heading your way! TOGETHER! He called her out! I'll gather what data I can. Mari"

"SEND!" she said, with feeling, as she jabbed the appropriate key. When her phone signalled the message had been sent, she hastily stuffed it back into her pocket and began taking the long way to the club house, attempting to throw off any inkling Lelouch had of her following.

* * *

"I didn't know there was such a place inside the school," Kallen commented, turning her head from side to side as she took in the well polished floors, high windows, and plush carpeting of the building Lelouch had lead her into.

"It's the Student Council's Clubhouse. It's got a nice, big open area so we can hold balls and such."

"Then no one will come here?"

"That's right."

The two continued to stare at each other, long, and hard, each daring the other to speak first.

"Found it!" a voice from above them cried suddenly. A quick glance revealed that Shirley had stood up, having been previously hidden by view the second floor banister. "Found it! Found it! This is it, right?"

"That's it!" Nina cried, relieved, rushing forward to accept the chip Shirley had found. "The lab data!"

"Geez, my ass hurts!" Rivalz complained, also standing up.

"There you all are!" Milly sang as she and Aurora appeared through two doors on the far right of the ground floor, pushing a trolley laden with food. "There you all are! We're all done here, so let's start!"

"Oh wow!"

"Very nice, Milly, Aurora!"

"I take no credit for the sweets," Milly continued to sing. "But let your praise wash over me anyway~!"

Lelouch and Kallen could only stare as tray, after tray of food and deserts were revealed.

"What…What is all this?" he asked.

"Isn't this why you brought her here? We're putting Kallen on the student council. I asked my grandpa. I told him about her fragile health, and that normal club activities would be tough for her. Oh yeah! I'm Milly, the Student Council President! Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Aurora Demille! I'm in charge of the Student Council's general affairs and I'm the Vice-Captain of the tennis club!"

"I'm Rivalz, the treasurer. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask!"

"I'm Shirley! I'm on the swim team, and I hold a couple positions similar to Aurora and Marina's," she stopped suddenly and glanced around, noticing that Marina wasn't present.

"I saw her in class," Lelouch offered. "She's probably just making a call to her boyfriend."

"Jeez…she shouldn't ditch for that!" Shirley scowled. Despite her scolding words, she too would do such things if she were dating Lelouch. Noticing the direction of her thoughts, she turned red. "A-Anyway! It's nice to meet you, Kallen-san!"

Kallen sweatdropped. "Y-Yeah…nice to meet you too…"

"Um…I-I'm Nina…"

Kallen sweatdropped even more. She hadn't even noticed her. "Ah, yes. It's nice to meet you too--"

"I'M NOT LATE! I MADE IT IN TIME BY MY CLOCK!" Marin shouted, bursting through the doors. She paused when she saw the people gathered inside it. She didn't think Lelouch and Kallen would still be there. "Erm…what?"

"Introduce yourself," Lelouch said curtly. "Kallen's a new member of the student council."

"O-Oh! Um," Marina turned bright red and shut the door. "Ma-Marina Clemens, nice to meet you."

Suddenly a soft whirr filled the room and Nunnally appeared in her motor-powered wheelchair, boxes of pizza and a tray of cupcakes on her lap. "Umm…would someone be able to take these for me?"

"Ah! I'll take it!" Aurora hurried over and relieved the girl of her burden.

"Nunnally, you're here too?"

"She's Lelouch's sister," Milly explained to Kallen.

"I'm in my second year of middle school. I'm not on the Student Council, though. It's nice to meet you, Kallen-san."

Kallen smiled fondly. "Yes, it's nice to meet you too."

"Well then," Rivalz cheerfully exclaimed, producing a bottle of champagne. "Shall we begin with a toast?"

Shirley was aghast. However, it was timid Nina who piped up first.

"We really shouldn't. We're student council members after all!"

"That's right, and we're underage!"

Rivalz ignored them both. "Don't be such spoilsports!"

"Give it here!" Shirley cried, making a grab for the bottle.

"What's going on?" Nunnally asked as she heard the scuffle.

"This is for you," Milly said, pressing a glass of juice into the girl's hands as though the commotion was an ordinary occurrence.

"Lelouch, pass!" Rivalz cried, throwing the green-tinted glass bottle at Lelouch, whom managed to catch it despite his surprised state.

"You can't drink, Lulu!" Shirley pushed Rivalz aside and tried to grab the bottle from the confused Lelouch.

Before anyone could quite comprehend what had happened, Shirley had knocked Lelouch to the ground with enough force to pop the cork and Kallen, having somehow managed to avoid being hit by the piece of wood, was hit by a spray of the bubbling alcoholic beverage.

The room was still, silent.

"What happened?" Nunnally finally asked.

"A Kodax moment…" Marina replied in stunned disbelief.

"...eh?"

* * *

Somehow the powers that be (namely Milly) had decided that Lelouch would be the one to escort Kallen to a bathroom to clean off and provide her with a change of clothes while the rest of the council was divided between supervising the washing of Kallen's soiled uniform and cleaning the spilled drink off the floor.

Marina was patient and good mannered about having to get down on her hands-and-knees and mop up the puddle on the floor with a rag because the mop was being clutched by a distraught fangirl with a flair for melodramatics and jumping the gun.

Marina was patient with Aurora's mood for a time, but by the time Aurora heaved her sixth long, drawn out sigh in half 'n hour Marina had had it. She tossed the wet rag onto the ground where it landed with a wet _plop_, grabbed Aurora's arm and dragged her away while the mop joined the rag on the floor.

"If you're so worried just spy on the door!" Marina hissed through her teeth. "I'm telling you nothing's going to happen! Lulu's too…self-centered too date."

"I don't know…"

Marina wanted to beat her head against the wall. _Why? Why Lulu?_

"Look, it'll be fine! You trust me, right?"

"Right…"

"I'm telling you nothing of significance is going to happen," Marina stopped suddenly and manoeuvred Aurora into a tiny alcove near the bathroom door. "You can hide in here. Lulu won't notice you when he leaves. I'll be in the main hall, okay?"

Aurora blinked up at her best friend. Did Marina really think Lelouch wouldn't notice her? It didn't matter if there was a giant, leafy plant that partially blocked her from view, someone like Lelouch would definitely notice her.

Aurora contemplated pointing this out to Marina, but the short haired brunette had already taken off down the hall. She almost called out to her, but then Aurora heard footsteps coming from the other direction. A quick glance told her it was Lelouch and she pressed herself more into the tiny space behind the plant.

She had a bad, bad feeling about this…


	7. Chapter 7

(Ichigo: ...this has been done for awhile...

Aki: But we wanted to try and write some more chapters so updates could be more frequent again...and since Chapter 8 is, finally, a few pages short of being done...we're sharing Chapter 7!

Ichigo: On that note, expect Chapter 8 soon! And enough of this authour's note stuff, enjoy!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass. We wouldn't be here if we did...

* * *

Chapter 7: Mix-Ups, Misunderstandings, and Just Plain Misplaced

Now, Aurora was all for going to extreme lengths to get a leg-up on any competition when it comes to pursuing the heart of a certain raven-haired, high school heartthrob but this was just ridiculous.

Though, in hindsight, this is what happens when she become best friends with someone with a short fuse and the physical prowess to manhandle her. Particularly when the aforementioned best friend seems to be going through a mild identity crisis(which Aurora would get to the bottom of, that was a guarantee…once she solved the mystery of Kallen Stadtfeld and Lelouch Lamperouge).

Speaking of which…

Cautiously, Aurora peaked out from behind the plant and, finding Lelouch had entered, dared to tiptoe over to the door and press her ear to the cool surface.

"I'm sorry about them," said Lelouch, his voice quieter through the door. "They're so boisterous…"

"It's fine," Kallen replied, her voice silenced even more by the shower causing Aurora to squint her eyes in concentration and flatten her side against the door. "I enjoy such simple pleasures once in a while."

"Are you okay with wearing my clothes?"

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine," Kallen said, causing Aurora to scowl since _she_ was not fine with it. "That was fast. You went all the way to the boys' dorms, didn't you?"

"Actually, I live here. It'd be too difficult for my sister to stay in the dorms, so we live here with the Chairman's permission."

"I see."

"Well then…" Lelouch said, an air of finality in his voice.

"Wait!" Kallen cried, causing both Lelouch and Aurora to stop their progress (and causing Aurora to slide and crash onto the floor in the process).

Grumbling, Aurora pulled herself onto her knees and pressed her ear against the ear.

'Kallen better have a good reason for shouting like that!' she thought.

"Could you bring me that pouch over there?" Kallen continued, the curtain shifting slightly.

"Sure," Aurora heard the sharp click-clack of his uniform shoes on the tiled floor approaching her and then returning in the direction of the shower. Suddenly there was a loud plop as something hit the wet surface of the tub.

"My," Lelouch said, amused and almost pleased. "You're more aggressive then I thought."

Finally, eight years of reading, watching, living and breathing romance finally caught up to Aurora and her mind was filled with images of Lelouch being pulled into the tub and things she would rather not think about occurring.

Frustrated, upset, she ran back down the hallway towards Marina and the other council members.

When she arrived she buried her face in the back of Marina's jacket and refused to move until she was sure her tears were stemmed and the redness was gone.

* * *

He had been afraid of this. Kallen had him figured out, and she was acting on what her reasoning and instincts told her. Fortunately he had a plan to throw off her suspicions but…

He'd have to tread carefully from now on. Once the seed of suspicion takes root, it is almost impossible to fully eradicate. One day, when it is least expected, it could sprout and grow, and another situation like this could occur…

"Hey! Are you going to answer or not?" Kallen tightened her grip on the pouch she held tightly; ready to use the blade of the knife protruding from the pouch to elicit a response if necessary. "I asked you if you were in Shinjuku that day."

Lelouch feigned innocence. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb!" she snapped. "Why did you mention Shinjuku to me?"

"Is there something wrong with Shinjuku?" Lelouch once again feigned innocence. From the corner of his eye he saw anger flash in Kallen's eyes. He was playing with fire…but if he held out just a little longer then…

"Don't answer my question with another question! Answer 'yes' or 'no.' That's all I want to hear from you. Understand?" Lelouch stayed silent, even with the tip of the knife blade against his blazer. "Answer! Do you understand or not?"

Lelouch's lips parted (finally an answer), but the phone on the wall began to ring shrilly, and Lelouch was forced to hide a smile. It was time to put Kallen's suspicions concerning him to rest.

"If I don't get that someone will come. May I?" Without waiting for a reply, he reached behind him and answered the phone. "Yes? Ashford Student Council….Well, I…" Kallen blinked. Was he…surprised? Before she could decide whether or not he was, Lelouch was offering her the phone. "It's for you…he says you'll know who he is…"

Suspicious yet curious, Kallen carefully deposited the pouch on the floor of the tub and took the phone from Lelouch. "Hello?"

"I'm glad you got out, Q1."

Shocked, Kallen glanced at Lelouch who had his eyes politely adverted. The mysterious voice wasn't Lelouch…?

"Who are you!? Are you the one who gave the order to withdraw?!" Instead of answering her, however, the Voice began giving her instructions. "Hey! Don't hang up!"

_Click_.

Too late…

"What was that order to withdraw?" Lelouch asked. Kallen froze. "You seem to have some awfully weird friends. Maybe I should play. You were talking about a game, right? An online game?"

"U-Um, yeah…" Kallen said, relieved to such an extent that she released Lelouch's wrist. "I've been holed up at home for so long, you see…"

"I told you not to mention Shinjuku because there are people here who would like to deceive you," Lelouch explained as he massaged his wrist. "By the way…I can see…"

Kallen blinked. See? What did he mean? It was then she realized that when she jerked hard on the phone cord when The Voice had hung up the phone the curtain had been pulled open enough to reveal her.

With a shriek she ducked down and stayed there until Lelouch excused himself and left.

* * *

"We might be the student council, but we don't do much real work," Lelouch explained as he and Kallen, dressed in his clothes, headed back towards the main hall where the rest of the student council and Nunnally awaited. "It's just some occasional paperwork and planning various events.

"Stuff like a fancy ball or a completely silent party or going to class in swimsuits or something like that. The president has weird tastes. She'll come after you one day so be prepared-" Lelouch paused when he noticed Marina was glaring at him from the other side of the room, where everyone was gathered around the television. "You might want to watch out for her…she's not someone you should cross."

Marina snorted and turned back towards the screen.

"Big brother!" cried Nunnally when she realized he was nearby. "It's terrible!"

Lelouch rushed over. "What is it?"

"Prince Clovis has been murdered," Milly explained.

That's when Lelouch realized the television was displaying the news, and he fell silent to watch. His act had finally reached the media…

"We've just received information that a suspect has been arrested!" announced the television reporter. "According to sources the suspect is an honorary Britannian citizen by the name of Suzaku Kururugi, a private first class in the Britannian military."

Lelouch's heart stopped beating. Suzaku? They were arresting Suzaku? Why? He had expected they would conduct an investigation, but to arrest _Suzaku_.

_Thud!_

Suddenly there was a flurry of movement as all turned to the source of the noise and, to their surprise, they found Marina has fallen to her knees, and was pressing her hands tightly over her ears shaking her head back-and-forth, back-and-forth.

Lelouch was the scene, detached. He didn't really hear any of the others words of concern, or really notice what had happened until he realized Marina was looking at him, silent.

Lelouch's heart started beating again, fast and furious. The look in her eyes, the silent question she was asking him was causing sweat to gather on the back of his neck.

She was looking at the screen in horror, her eyes screaming, '_Why? Why would they do this to him?_'

For the briefest of moments, Lelouch felt like he had made a connection with Marina; because he had a feeling his eyes were asking the very same thing.

* * *

Marina still had that look the next day. It had more despair in it; more panic and worry, but the questioning look hadn't completely faded even though she tried her hardest to look normal.

It only got during the service for Prince Clovis, broadcast on television and viewed by all the students at Ashford Academy on a large screen erected in the courtyard.

It was after that ceremony and the Student Council members were leaving that Marina finally snapped.

"'Purists?'" Shirley asked, confused by the term that had just been used.

"People that think that Britannia's army should be entirely composed of only true Britannian citizens," Lelouch explained, ignoring whatever Shirley may have said in response to glance at Marina and Aurora ahead of them.

He felt nervous. Ever since the night before, Marina's actions had been unpredictable and counter to what he expected from someone with her personality.

Further compounding this, Marina suddenly abandoned all pretence of acting normal and ran off. She collided with a third year students whose eyes showed a flash of recognition. Before he could ask what was wrong, her hand had delved into his coat pocket and she had ran off, her hands curled tightly around the keys she found there.

Lelouch's face courted into a frown, eyebrows furrowed.

Someone had swapped out one of his pawns for another piece.

Which piece the pawn had become, he couldn't discern, however.

* * *

"Will you be fine on your own?" Lelouch asked Aurora once the area had cleared and it was just the two of them in the covered hallway. "I have something I need to take care of."

She smiled. "Mm! Of course! Go on ahead!"

Lelouch looked at her for a long moment, as though he were trying to see right through her causing her to shrink away slightly. Eventually, he seemed content and turned, walking off.

Aurora continued to smile as she watched his back grow smaller, and smaller. Eventually, when she couldn't see his back, and the sound of his shoes on the stone floor of the yard disappeared, she squatted and hugged her knees tightly, resting her chin upon them.

She had wanted him to stay. She had hoped he would see through her fake smile and stay with her or take her with him.

"Tch! What a loser!" Aurora jerked in surprise at the masculine voice, tears that had been clinging to her lashes falling from the sudden movement. "A gentleman doesn't leave a lady on her own! Especially when she doesn't want to be alone!"

"Who's there!?" she cried, leaping to her feet and spinning around. She couldn't find anyone.

The voice was chuckling. "Up here~!"

Aurora looked up and, for a brief moment, saw someone sitting on one of the beams used to support the roof. Before she could discern who it was, the person had jumped down and was staring down at her.

"Hi there~!"

Aurora gasped and startled back. The stranger laughed again. He was tall, very tall. He was easily over six-feet tall. His chestnut hair was messy and wild and looked like it hadn't been brushed in a long time. His clothes were equally messy and dirty and looked almost too small for him.

What startled Aurora most were his eyes: a bright, piercing gold, like the piece of amber she used when looking at the world outside her bedroom window as a child.

"Who…Who are you?" she gasped.

He grinned mischievously and straitened, forcing her to look way up to keep those amber pools in her sights. "Glad to see you got out of the subway, okay."

Aurora's eyes widened as she remembered the golden eyes that lead her and Marina out of the tunnels. "T-That was you?"

"Yep!" he winked, his grin widening for a moment before his expression softened and he looked almost apologetic. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you out more. You see…I didn't want to end up like my friend. That girl, ya see? We met once upon a time and I owed her a favour so…" he trailed off, looking uncomfortable at having to explain why he had been following a truck across town.

A soft smile flitted across her face. "Thank you."

"Actually," he looked over her shoulder, directly at the spot where Lelouch's back had disappeared. "Since it was your friend that, technically, helped her I wanted to do a favour for him. But since he's taken off..."

Aurora watched in fascination as his, apparently, trademarked smile slid back into place on his face. "I guess I could do _you_ a favour instead! I'd much rather do a favour for a pretty girl! So, what do you want?"

She was about to reply in the negative, that his offer was generous but she didn't really need anything so him doing her a favour was pointless. Her protests died however, when he spoke again, asking 'Do you want that cold fish to notice you?' Her answer must have been clearly written on her face since he continued,

"I can do it, you know. I have a special power that can give _you_ a special power! I don't know what it'll be…but I _bet_ it'll be useful to that guy you like! You see," he crooked his finger at her and bent down to whisper in her ear when she obediently moved closer. "I know your sweetheart is planning something big to get his friend out of the pinch he's in. If you have a special power and help him free his friend, I know he'll be grateful."

"E-Eh!? Really!? You can do that?!" Aurora gasped in delight when he nodded. She had always been spellbound by the mysterious and the supernatural, so even though the logical half of her brain was telling her she shouldn't trust this strange man, she completely ignored it in favour of childlike wonder.

"However," he raised one finger, promptly stopping all the sparkles and gleeful coos from Aurora. "In exchange you have to grant me one wish when I ask for it. Don't worry, I won't abuse it! I'll let you know when I'm using my wish, okay?"

Aurora nodded, barely processing what the stranger said, barely acknowledging this could be a bad move, being bound to this man by a promise, that this could be a bad move.

"Alright…good girl…" he said, his entire demeanour changing. His playful eyes grew hard, his body straightened, the smile slipped off his face and was replaced by a scowl. Before she could ask what had caused the sudden change, he had raised a hand, the pads of his middle and thumb pressed together mere centimetres from her right eye.

"One…two…three…"

On the count of 'three', he snapped his fingers and pain erupted inside Aurora's head as images and voices flashed through her mind, showing and speaking of things and places she had never heard of or seen before.

By the time the storm had calmed and the pain subsided, she felt strong arms wrapped around her. A quick glance upwards showed it was the man embracing her, his piercing gold eyes staring down at her.

"Good girl…" he whispered, turning her towards a nearby window. "Here…"

There, in the glass, she could see that a soft violet with a strange and bird-like shape had replaced her eye…

"He's at the Tokyo Tower. By the time you get there, he'll be exiting. Show him your eye and no matter what he says, keep insisting you help him. He'll be on a time constraint, he'll eventually be forced to take you with him," he whispered in her ear, his arms wrapped around her shoulder fondly. His eyes seemed to glow as he spoke, smiling as though he were a cat who had caught its dinner. "If you run into trouble, just shout 'A.A.' and I'll be there…"


	8. Chapter 8

(Ichigo: We're baaaack...and on summer break! Or...at least I am...

Aki: Which means there should be weekly updates again! We already have a quarter of Chapter 9 done!

Ichigo: In the meantime...enjoy everyone! Please read and review and let us know how we're doing! Apologies for any mistakes...exams make proof-reading fun...

Aki: Enjoy!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass...it'd be nice though

* * *

Chapter 8: Zero and _Zero_

Aurora didn't understand anything that was going on. What was wrong with Marina? Why was she acting up the way she is? What was Lelouch doing coming to Tokyo Tower and plotting to free his friend? How was he going to do this anyway? Sure, he was smart and could talk his way out of almost anything, but surely, he wouldn't be able to talk the army, the government, into freeing a prisoner! Most importantly…

She reached up and touched her eye. Who was that mysterious man? What did he do to her?

And how?

"Get on the monoloop line," Aurora froze, turning around. Lelouch was coming. "Bring your friends with you."

Call completed, he disconnected his cell phone and began descending the stairs, intending to head immediately to the station, but stopping abruptly when Aurora suddenly appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"A-Aurora," he was clearly startled. Aurora had been at the school only an hour ago, he hadn't expected to see her again so soon, and definitely not here. "Did you come to visit the tower?"

Aurora smiled slightly, staring at her shoes, folded her arms behind her back began rocking slowly, back and forth, heal to toes, heal to toes. "No…I came to help you."

His blood chilled, and it was all he could do to stop from shuddering. "Help me with what…?"

"I'm not dumb," she snapped in a voice surprisingly irritable considering her usual happy-go-lucky personality. "I'm not dumb. My parents…taught me better than that."

Suddenly, Aurora raised her head and Lelouch's blood froze in his veins. There, in her left eye, was the same symbol he had in his right-eye.

'_Aurora has…!?_'

Lelouch had descended the stairs in a heartbeat, seized her by her arm, and dragged her behind some concrete slabs where he roughly pushed her against them, pinning her in place by placing his hands on either side of her head.

"Where did you get that?" he hissed.

Aurora felt her face heat up. Lelouch was so close to her…she had dreamed of this for a long time…

But, in her dreams, Lelouch had been looking at her gently, lovingly, preparing to kiss her. Now, Lelouch's dark eyebrows were drawn together, violet eyes ablaze with swirling emotions, none of which were love.

"T-That green-haired girl's friend…" she stuttered, trying to shrink further into the concrete and away from Lelouch's piercing, accusatory eyes.

Lelouch's eyes widened. "Friend?" he asked. She nodded, and he turned his head away, glaring fiercely at the wall.

The woman who gave him his new ability had a 'friend'. Meaning there were more like her. How many? More importantly, did that mean there were other people who had received this… 'gift'? Was it the same as his? Could he even use his against Aurora?

There were too many questions and his knowledge about this phenomenon was limited. There was no way, at this place and time, he could answer his questions and think up a satisfactory plan to get himself out of this situation.

Worse, Kallen and the others were coming, heading to where he instructed them too. They could come any minute and see him and all his efforts to erase Kallen's suspicions would be for nothing.

"Come," he said, sternly as he grabbed Aurora's arm and began pulling her in the direction of the train station. "And turn that thing off!" he hissed.

Startled, and not eager to be the target of Lelouch's anger, Aurora obediently blinked and her eye returned to normal.

* * *

"This…_friend_…" Lelouch began as he swung the duffel bag he had been carrying onto the empty seat of the train car after using his Geass to have everyone move to another car. "Didn't happen to mention what yours does, perhaps?"

"No…but he said you'd help me figure it out," Aurora said, standing on the other side of the care and watching as Lelouch ruffled through the bag.

Lelouch scowled at her answer. "Haaaah? Help? How am _I_ supposed to help?"

Even though he stopped speaking to remove his socks and shoes, Aurora felt there was an unspoken, 'And why do I have to help you at all?' hovering in the air.

"I-I don't know…he said since you have one you'd know…"

"How would I know? I just subconsciously used it and it happened to work. There may be rules that limit its uses, but that's the only thing I've figured out on my own. If you don't know how to use it by now, I can't help you!"

Lelouch sighed, taking a deep breath and trying to quell his anger as he removes his jacket. "Just…try something…?"

Aurora barely heard what Lelouch had said as she had turned around and pressed her eyes shut, hands over her ears. Why was Lelouch undressing? In front of her, too! It was so embarrassing, and she was making him so angry, she wished she could just disappear…

Lelouch, who in the meantime had been pulling on his newly sewn costume and paused as he was pulling up the zipper. He had caught a glance of his reflection in the window, but Aurora's wasn't there. A quick glance over his shoulder showed Aurora cowering behind him. Her reflection wasn't in the window in front of her either.

"Did you…wish to disappear, Aurora?"

Startled by his question, Aurora looked up from her hands and saw only Lelouch's reflection in the window. Shocked, she turned around and found herself almost nose to nose with Lelouch, and reflected in his eyes were her own, her Geass active.

"I…became invisible…?"

"Not likely…you probably changed your appearance…I can see you clearly looking at you directly. Perhaps it works on varying circumstances, or how you appear to wish at any given time," Lelouch explained, donning his cape with a flourish.

"You'll have to hide, though. We need to test this further, " he paused and donned his tulip shaped helmet. "The car up ahead is empty, hide there for now."

Silently, obediently, Aurora left the car, taking the bag that contained Lelouch's clothes with her.

* * *

"Things seem to be going pretty well for you so far, huh?"

Aurora stared. A.A. was sitting in the supposedly empty car. "Y-You again…!"

He was grinning, again. "I heard you call from the depths of your heart so I'm here to cheer you up!" he said, patting the seat beside him.

Aurora sat down. Lelouch wouldn't mind, would he?

"So…" A.A.'s grin split even wider. "That guy wears tulips on his head?"

Aurora giggled a little before sombering. "Who…are you anyway…?

A.A continued to smile, but it no longer reached his eyes. "What do you think I am?"

Aurora stayed silent. By the time she had thought of a reply he was gone…

* * *

Needless to say, Lloyd was surprised when someone whipped past him in the darkness of the prison. No one exactly came down here, especially not the area where Elevens were kept. Even more surprising, was the person was in a school uniform…

A _girl's_ school uniform.

"Suzaku!!" Marina cried, skidding to a stop in front of his cell and dropped to her hands and knees. "Are you alright!?"

Shock flashed across his face before a small smile flitted across his face. "Mm, I'm alright."

She breathed a sigh of relief, sitting back on her ankles. "Thank God…I was worried about you. Sorry it took me so long to come and see you…in general."

'_See you…later?_'

'_Mm…_'

"…What are you doing here? You're going to get in trouble. You really didn't have to come see me like this…"

"I don't care if I'm going to get into trouble. What matters is you need someone looking after you…and I don't abandon my friends when they need me."

He smiled. "I see…you must be a good friend then…"

"Marina," she supplemented. "Marina Clemens."

"Marina, then."

"Heh. You said it the Japanese way."

"I'm sorry?"

Marina shrugged, sitting on her rear and wrapping her arms around her knees. "It's no big deal," she sighed, resting her cheek on one knee. "I don't think you did it, you know. Neither does Lulu. Nunnally neither. You…do know Nunnally, right?"

"Nunnally…how is she?"

"She's doing really well. She's worried about you, though. But, I think her best friend is spending the night with her, so she'll be okay. I'd show you some pictures of her, but I don't have my phone or bag with me…I…kinda ran over here from the school…"

"Why would you do that? Really, I'm not that important," he smiled. "I'm glad you believe in me. However, my fate has already been decided and there isn't anything either of us can do. Thank you, Marina, for coming to see me."

"M-Moron! Don't give up so easily!" she snapped. "This isn't just some insubordination charge! This…This is high treason! If we don't…If we don't do something…you're going to die…"

Suzaku looked guiltily as he watched her bury her face into her knees. He didn't like that she was this upset over him. He didn't want to make her cry just by…_existing_.

"I know…I'm sorry…," he murmured.

"I'll…come to your trail…," she looked up and Suzaku was surprised to find that, even in the dimness, he could see that her eyes were bright. "You shouldn't go through this alone…"

Suzaku nodded, tilting his back to keep her face in sight as she stood up, said her goodbyes and left. She really shouldn't be making a face like that over me, he thought.

* * *

"Damnit, damnit, damnit!"

_Crash!_

Marina glared down at her brother's motorbike(the one she 'borrowed' in order to get to where Suzaku was being held) as it lay on the ground, a scuff mark marring the bright red paint where her shoe had collided again, and again, with the machine as she vented her frustrations through several kicks.

"I can't do anything…," fingers clutched tightly at brown strands of hair as she sunk to the ground. "This is so stupid! So stupid! Just because he wasn't born in Britannia, just because he's Asian, just because he's Japanese, they shouldn't treat him like this!"

She cast her eyes skyward, swallowing. "I'm sorry Suzaku…being there…is the only thing I can do for you…"

* * *

Preparations were complete. It was time for him to take center stage and unveil himself to the world.

Carefully, Lelouch picked up his helmet, a helmet that would become a signature of what he stood for. A helmet that would become recognizable around the world…

Finally, finally…he could begin his revenge. His revenge against Britannia, his father…

For the sake of his mother, his sister…he had to succeed.

However, he ran into a small, unplanned snag that could either help him or hinder him in the future…

He had to make sure he didn't lose control or things would come crashing down…

"You wanted to see me? Is this alright?" an unfamiliar voice asked, their silhouette looming in the shiny surface of his helmet. Distorted as they may be, he could make out long, dark hair and traditional Japanese clothing.

Turning his head, the image disappeared and there appeared Aurora, looking awkward and tugging at the fabric of the strange clothing, looking nothing like the elegant Japanese women he saw in the reflection.

"That is your disguise…?"

"Do you like it…?"

He nodded and stood. "Yes, you look beautiful, very fitting for your role."

"My role…?"

"Yes, as my, Zero's, lover."

The easiest way to control someone, after all, was to give them what they wanted…

Aurora's eyes widened. "Lulu…"

"Go sit beside Kallen," he instructed, donning his mask.

Now that he knew, thanks to their testing earlier in the day, that only he could see through the illusion by staring it head on, he felt confident enough to include Aurora in the plan. He decided not to try testing his powers on Aurora and waste his one command. If he was right, she could be infinitely more useful…particularly if she can use her new 'friend' to find that girl again…

Thus, Aurora's future roles would have to be determined after more testing. For now…he would just have to keep her tightly pressed underneath his thumb.

"We're about to begin."

"Mm…" she turned and then paused, looking back. "What am I called…?"

He paused. Thinking.

"Rei."

'Rei' smiled at him. "As you wish…"


	9. Chapter 9

(Ichigo: Yay! Chapter 9 has arrived!

Aki: Chapter 10 coming soon! In the meantime, read, enjoy and review!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass...or a certain incident that happened in the last ep of R2 wouldn't have happened

* * *

Chapter 9: The Curtain Rises

Human nature has always been a strange, convoluted thing. Despite the fact humans claim to be sympathetic to the plight of others, thousands lined the streets, even more crowded in front of televisions, and computer monitors in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Eleven that had killed Clovis di Britannia, the prince and former leader of Area 11.

The suspect in question, Suzaku Kururugi, had his head bowed, arms bound behind his back, a collar around his neck. He was perfectly still. Even a small movement would cause the collar to shock him.

In Ashford Private Academy, much of the Student Council were seated in the meeting room, eyes glued to their television.

Nunnally stayed in the Lamperouge residence, a green radio poised in her lap.

Marina stood in front of the courthouses, Suzaku's final destination, glaring at the horizon, praying Suzaku and his escort would never appear there…

Lelouch, instead of simply waiting and praying, was about to take action with Aurora at his side and a group of rebels behind him…

Phase One had begun.

* * *

'Is this really going to work!?' thought Kallen, swallowing hard as she inched the modified vehicle slowly across the bridge. Subtly, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at Rei seated in the passenger seat.

She looked like she was enjoying herself…

How could she be so calm!?

Her smile even got wider when one of the Knightmare pilots ordered them to stop and reveal themselves, and murmured that she was disappointed that she was going to miss Zero's entrance.

It was all Kallen could do to stop her from falling headfirst into the steering wheel-and inadvertently sounding the horn. One of the few girls she knew who was involved in anti-Britannian movements…and she had to be crazy…and she was stuck with her in the small cab of a gaudy looking white car, dressed in an equally gaudy white suit she would otherwise never be caught in…even dead.

This was just her luck…

* * *

At the man's behest, Lelouch in the guise of Zero, appeared in a burst of sparks as the Britannia flag that adorned the roof of the car burst into flames and disintegrated, sending the news reporters, the crowd, the Knightmare pilots and Suzaku into a frenzy of emotions.

During it all, Lelouch-Zero- stood calmly, waiting. His face behind the mask calm and composed, waiting for everything to die down, so he could make his demands and unveil his trump card.

That opportunity came when one pilot, Jeremiah Gottwald, commanded that he remove his mask. For a moment, Zero appeared to be complying…but then he snapped his fingers and part of the car fell away to reveal a bulb-shaped canister. The item was unfamiliar to the citizens on the same but to those in the army, they knew what it was…

Zero had a capsule of poisonous gas…enough to kill everyone gathered on the bridge, and though the spectators didn't know it, Suzaku did, as did Jeremiah and the other Knightmare pilots.

"Go ahead and fire," Zero taunted when Jeremiah drew a gun and pointed it at him. "You can't miss."

"Fine then," Jeremiah lowered the gun. "What do you want?"

"A trade. This for Suzaku Kururugi."

"No! This man killed Prince Clovis, I just can't hand him over!"

"No, you're wrong, Jeremiah. He didn't do it. The one who killed Clovis was I!" Zero proclaimed. "In return for one Eleven, you can save the lives of hundreds of Britannians. That's not a bad deal, I think."

Inside the car, Lelouch's-no, Zero's-words startled Aurora, hiding inside her calm, bored façade as Rei. Lelouch did it…? He killed Clovis? Suddenly, she remembered that Lelouch had been sick the morning of the day Clovis' death was announced. No, it couldn't be true, and yet, there was no way it couldn't be true.

"This man is insane!" yelled Jeremiah, his voice loud and angry. "I challenge your confession! You who uses His Highness' carriage to your own perverted ends!"

"Are you certain? You'll sully your reputation, Orange," he tapped his heal on the roof of the cab, and Kallen, nervously but obediently, inched the car forward. "If you die, you will regret killing me. If you do not want that to happen…"

Suddenly, a section of the mask slid away, revealing Lelouch's eye, the one that contained his Geass, which he promptly invoked shouting, "Let us all go! That man, too!"

Naturally, Jeremiah obeyed the command, and thus he said, startling all his subordinates and those around him, "Very well. Give him that man! Give him over! No one is to interfere!"

Suzaku, stunned and wary, was released and allowed to descend to the street and approach the masked and cloaked individual. Even though he had been freed, the collar was still fastened tightly around his neck. A fact he was painfully reminded of when he tried to speak and received an electric shock.

"As I thought," said the masked man. Zero, he had called himself. "You can't speak."

"Zero," said someone from behind them. They were dressed in a white suit and cap, Suzaku couldn't get a good look at their face. Neither the driver or the girl who had stepped down from the cab. "It's time to go."

"Well then, we'll speak later," Zero promised before pulling a device out of nowhere and pushing the button.

Suddenly pink gas came streaming out of the device attached to the roof, sending the civilians into a panic. With the gas acting as both an distraction and a smokescreen, Zero, his companions and Suzaku-whom was more or less picked up and carried-, jumped off the bridge, only to land in some semblance of a safety net, which was deposited into a truck. As soon as they were inside and the hatch in the roof closed, the truck drove off, leaving Britannia in a state of chaos.

* * *

Collar removed, arms no longer bound, and covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises, Suzaku glanced around the crumbling remains of a once prosperous theatre before he turned around and his eyes landed on the man who had brought him here, the same longhaired woman from the bridge at his side.

"It seems you were poorly treated," Zero observed, eyeing the visible cuts on Suzaku's face. The white scratch marks were particularly noticeable against Suzaku's tanned skin. "You know how they do things don't you, Private Kururugi? Britannia is rotting to the core. If you wish to change the world--join me!"

"You…Did you really kill Prince Clovis?" Suzaku asked.

Lelouch nearly balked. Even behind his mask, could feel the piercing stare Suzaku was giving him-no, the piercing stare Suzaku was giving to _Zero_. Even with that realization in place, the realization that Suzaku was not glaring at _Lelouch_, he couldn't bring himself to tell Suzaku that he had killed Clovis. Even now, after all these years, the thought of Suzaku disapproving of him still affected him.

"This is war. Do I need a reason to kill my enemy?" is what he said instead.

"What about that poison gas?" Suzaku's voice was rising, shaking. With fury, fear or nerves, Lelouch wasn't sure. "You took all those civilians hostage!"

"Bluffing is an important negotiation tactic. In the end no one was hurt."

"In the end? I see…so that's how you think…"

"Come to me," he said, extending his hand. "Britannia does not deserve your loyalty."

It was an order. It wasn't a request. Suzaku, Lelouch, Aurora all knew it wasn't a request.

Which is why when Suzaku turned his back on them--_him_--and began walking towards a large hole in one wall, his stride and posture clearly indicating his intentions to leave and never come back, the pain that lanced through Lelouch was particularly sharp.

The pain only intensified when Suzaku began to speak…

"That may be, but that's why I want to change it: to make it worthy. From within Britannia. I do not believe there is any worth in a victory won by dishonest means. Now, if you'll excuse me, my court martial begins in an hour."

"A-Are you an idiot!?" Lelouch gasped out, Zero's plans for treason giving way to the concerns of a childhood friend. "They'll convict you! The judge, the jury, the lawyers, they're all biased! They all hate you!"

"Even so, it's the rules. If I don't go, there will be much suffering among both the Elevens and Britannians."

"_Are you an idiot!?_"

Suzaku managed a small smile. "An old friend of mine used to call me an idiot. It may be my weakness…but I want to capture you. To beat you at your own game. If I am to be killed, I want to die for the people. Thank you, though. For saving me."

And with that, Suzaku was nothing more than an ever shrinking figure. Smaller, and smaller his back became until he disappeared entirely out of sight.

Instead of gaining an ally, Lelouch had gained an enemy. And that enemy was one of the last people Lelouch wanted to be his enemy.

"You…idiot…!" he hissed through gritted teeth, hands curling into fists. His grip slackened, however, when Aurora--she had removed her illusion, he duly noted--placed a hand on his arm.

"Hmphf. Have you come to tell me you're leaving as well?" he asked, removing his mask. It was just the two of them, after all. There was no reason to hide.

"No, not at all…"

"I am a killer, you realize."

Aurora cringed. She had been hoping he wouldn't mention that. She had been trying to forget that. "Yes…I know…but…I said I'm here to help. I'm not going back on my word, whether you're a killer or not. I'm going to keep my word."

Lelouch stared at her, shocked by her words. He was silent for a moment before he snorted and shook his head. "Really? Is everyone I know idiots?"

"Well, I'm sorry for being an idiot, then," she said, smiling.

"It's not as though you can help it."

Aurora, taking offence to his comment, stuck out her tongue at him and blew a raspberry, causing Lelouch to snort again. Even though he was laughing at the ridiculous nature of her actions, and thus her, Aurora was glad that the mood had lightened, one way or another.

"We should go home now…Nunnally must be worried," he slipped his mask back on, and his confidence returned. "Let's go. As quickly as we can."

Aurora nodded, using her Geass to reform her disguise and followed Zero out.

It had been a long, long night.

* * *

"Nunnally, I'm home," Lelouch said an hour or so later, entering the dining room. "Aurora's staying the night, do you mind--"

He trailed off as he noticed two other people in the room with Nunnally, all folding origami. The girl from before with the long green hair, and an unfamiliar brunet.

"Ah! It's you!" Aurora cried.

The brunet looked up and beamed. "Ro~!"

Lelouch pressed his lips into a thin line.

Looks like the long, long night wasn't over just yet.


	10. Chapter 10

(Ichigo: Yay! New chapter! Sorry for the wait!

Aki: New characters have been introduced...and you get to see more of characters we haven't seen in awhile.

Ichigo: And Euphie appears...things will get interesting

Aki: Indeed...well, read and review everyone!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass...good thing too, or Aki would molest Gino and Lulu

* * *

Chapter 10: Overlapping Paths

Lelouch could only stare, mouth opening and closing stupidly as he stared at the two unexpected guests at his dinner table. "What…?"

"You've already had dinner, haven't you?" C.C. placed a meticulously folded blue crane on the table's surface.

"I'm glad you two are back, I was worried that you had gotten caught up in that Zero business," Nunnally frowned. "I tried to call you two but it wouldn't connect. Ah, C.C. and A.A. came to see you guys. I told them they could come in and wait for you. You have some funny friends. Going only by their initials."

"Ah…yes…they are a little strange…"

"Come on, Nunnally," Aurora smiled gently and led Nunnally off before she could start asking any questions about the strange guests. "Let's get you to bed, it's late."

"What are you guys doing here? Who are you guys?" Lelouch demanded once the two girls had left.

"We already told you. I'm C.C. and he's A.A."

"Yo!" A.A. waved from the end of the table. His wide grin grew even wider when he noticed Lelouch look of disgust. Clearly he didn't like that A.A. had his feet--clad in mud caked boots--on the table. Cheekily, he stretched his legs out further, leaving a smear of mud on the surface. "What's up Lulu?"

Lelouch scowled. "What are you doing here, C.C.? You're supposed to be--"

"Dead? Well, that's another story for another time, isn't it? More importantly…where's your bedroom?"

"Huh?"

"Well, we need to stay hidden somewhere…because a certain idiot tried to save me and was seen walking around a military camp."

"Eheheh~!" A.A. tapped himself lightly on his head, sticking out his tongue.

"What!? You're going to stay here!?"

"You won't let us? No matter, I'm sure Aurora will let us. A.A., come on."

"Comin' comin'!"

"Wait…! No…stop…!!"

Why do his lies always send him back two steps for every one he takes forward? Lelouch wondered. On one hand, he had just made a major step towards his plan with overthrowing Britannia…but on the other…

Lelouch scowled, fluffing up his pillow and trying to get comfortable in the tub in his en suite, C.C. having stolen his bed, A.A. stolen his couch--and his computer chair too since the couch isn't long enough for him.

On the other hand…he had gained two rather unwanted and unwelcome house guests

In the worlds of the extremely bitter, "Fuck You World."

* * *

It wasn't until the morning after the trial that Suzaku was finally released, cleared of all charges. The change in the military personnel regarding him after Zero's appearance was astounding. Not only did they retrieve clothing for him and a bag to put his few belongings in, but they had giving him some rudimentary treatment for the cuts and scraps he had incurred during interrogation and even gave him some aspirin when he complained of pain and a headache.

They hadn't been particularly friendly to him, professional and courteous mostly, but still…it was a nice change…

"Suzaku!"

Suzaku jerked his head up, startled out of his voice when someone called his name and found Marina running towards him, dressed in a dark red sweater and black shorts. "Marina-san!? Ah, I mean…"

She held up a hand, silently trying to tell him it was all right to address her as though she were Japanese. "Is everyone okay? You're not in any more trouble?"

"No, everything's fine."

"That's good…I was worried…Ah," she dug around in her pocket and extended a nondescript white envelope towards him, filled to the point of bursting. "I brought pictures of Nunnally and Lulu--um, Lelouch-- and everyone. You can have them if you want."

The smile Suzaku had been wearing widened and he took the envelope, carefully putting them in his pocket. "Thank you…Say, aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Marina looked startled, and glanced around in her mind for an excuse. "It's School Wide Skip Day?"

"Is that so…?" Suzaku asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-Yeah! My school has really weird events! So today the Student Council President got on the intercom and told all us students to leave and so we did! Teacher's are looking for us and stuff, it's like a game."

Okay, so she was lying through her teeth, but at least it was a reasonable excuse…if the person she was telling the story to knew anything about Milly or was extremely gullible.

"Really? Shouldn't you be hiding then? Ah! I'll help you hide! Where do you think is a good place?"

Well, darn it. Now Marina had to try and keep this charade going, or admit she was a liar, or that she just came to see him because she just wanted to.

"S-Something like a park maybe? Or a shopping center?"

"You wanna go on a date with me?"

"WHO THE HELL WOULD!? I-I mean…"

Suzaku covered his mouth snickering. "Sorry, sorry…I shouldn't tease you. Come on then," he offered her his elbow, "Let's get going."

Marina stared at his arm, as though she had never seen a boy's arm before. Carefully, slowly, she grasped his arm with both her hands and let herself be led off.

This certainly wasn't how she had planned to spend her day…but it wasn't necessarily a bad day…

Not yet, anyway.

* * *

"Oi! Marina! I found you!" Kenny, full name Kenneth, Clemens whipped around the corner and entered the courtyard of the building where Marina had been only a short while ago. "Eh?? Where did she go…?"

"HEY! WATCH OUT DOWN THERE!"

Startled, Kenny looked up and, for a brief moment before the falling object crushed him, he saw a blur of colours, orange and pink.

"Oh my! Are you alright!?"

"Urg…"

Thus, Princess Euphemia Li Britannia had claimed her first victim…

* * *

"Hey…" said Marina, waiting until Suzaku's gaze was locked with hers before continuing. "Is it alright to call you Suzaku? You wouldn't rather I call you by your last name, or at least with a suffix? Like 'kun' or 'san'?"

Suzaku's eyes widened behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses, and he slowly shook his head. "No, you don't have to be so formal with me."

"Okay then…"

They fell into silence again as Marina began casting around in her brain for a suitable topic, and Suzaku trying to puzzle out how she even knew about Japanese naming customs.

"Hey, how old are you," again she waited until he was looking at him before adding, "You don't go to school, do you?"

"Ah, I'm seventeen, and no, I don't go to school."

"You don't get lonely working all the time?"

"At first, but now I'm so wrapped up in what I'm doing I don't notice."

"I see…" she turned her gaze from him, looking ahead.

Somehow, Marina was saddened by what Suzaku had just told her. He seemed like the type that could easily make friends and would enjoy his school life, yet Marina was the one going to school and would rather be home by herself all day than listening to gossiping girls all day long and sitting through boring calculus classes…

Quickly, she shook her head, scattering her thoughts. She shouldn't be thinking about this so much. Part of the reason she came was to prove Aurora wrong, to prove that she did not have a crush (big or small) on Suzaku Kururugi.

"Hey, are you hungry?" asked Marina. "I'll buy you something. My treat!"

"Eh? No! It's alright! I can pay for myself!"

"…Are crepes okay?"

A small smile lifted the corner of Suzaku's lips. She was turning pink, as though asking to eat crepes was something to be embarrassed by. "What flavour?"

"I…I like strawberries…"

His smile grew a little wider. Somehow he had a feeling she'd like strawberries…they were part of the rose family, after all…and roses have thorns despite their appearances.

And she certainly had bite, and if not guts, to do all the things she has…visiting him in the jail, waiting at the courthouse and leading him into the appropriate chamber by the arm without a care…

"Okay, I got it," Suzaku brushed past her and headed down the steps into the park and towards a crepe stand.

"That's nice of him to go get them," she mused to herself as she sat down on the stairs to wait. Suddenly it hit her…didn't that mean _he_ was paying for the crepes? The whole point in her trying to treat him was to prove she didn't like him! Aurora said girls should always, always, always let the guys pay!

Thus when Suzaku returned with the crepes, she accepted hers with her left hand while trying to push a few dollars in coins into his hand with her right. "Here! Take it!" she insisted.

Suzaku shook his head, closing her hand. "No. _My_ treat."

The way he said it brooked no arguments, so Marina was forced to stare at the coins in her hand confused. "You're not scared of me?"

"Why would I be scared of you?" his tone was light, humoured as though the thought of someone being afraid of her was hilarious.

"Because I'm a scary person. I'm always getting into fights and since I'm aloof people avoid me. A lot of guys are afraid of me. So they'll do whatever I'll tell them too. So…it's weird seeing you not looking frightened."

"You don't look scary to me. You look like a normal, pretty girl," Suzaku smiled friendly, pushing his glasses atop his head so Marina could see the sincerity in his verdant eyes.

She gaped at him, unable to muster her usual, violent response to what she considered lies. Instead, she settled for saying, "You really are something, Suzaku."

"You're not so bad yourself," he said, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"You're just being nice…but thank you."

Suzaku grinned, and somehow Marina felt herself being infected and grinned as well, albeit shyly. The awkward silence while they walked was no more, instead the one that hung over them as they ate their treats was amiable.

Or it was, until Marina noticed a gray cat limping through the park. With a startled cry she ran over to the cat and, after letting it sniff her fingers, picked him up.

"A cat?" Suzaku asked, following her.

"Mm, it's hurt. See, its leg is all bent," she held out the cat for him to examine. Smiling softly, Suzaku reached out to stroke the cat's fur, only to have his finger bitten.

"…"

"AHHH!!!"

* * *

"Geez, I'm sorry, Suzaku. I didn't think he'd bite you," Marina apologized as she wrapped a band-aid around his finger, over the teeth marks.

"It's alright, I'm sure I just startled him or something."

"Do you dislike animals? Are you bad with them?"

"No! I love them! But…" Suzaku cautiously reached out towards the cat and quickly retracted his hand when the cat arched his back, hissing. "It seems my love is a little one-sided…"

"Maybe you just haven't met the right cat yet?" He blinked at her and she belatedly realized what she said sounded similar to the beginning of the infamous 'you haven't met the right girl/guy' speech. "A-Ah…ignore that…"

He laughed, but she didn't seem to cheer up, especially after the cat ran off. "Even the cat things I'm a loser. I'm gunna go to school tomorrow and everyone's gunna know I scared off a cat."

"Are there people you know here?"

"No, but there's one girl in my class who knows everything…her name's Erika, she's friends with Aurora. She probably knows what you did six Tuesdays ago, what you ate for lunch when you were four, and what you say in your sleep."

"Is…Is she some kind of stalker?"

"It really wouldn't surprise me, but I think she knows so much about me because Aurora has a blabbermouth."

He hummed in understanding, glancing up at the clock in the middle of the park. It had been two hours, he really should be going.

When he expressed this to Marina, her expression crumpled, which led him to hastily try to mend the situation by offering to take her back to the school. She accepted, thanking him, but she seemed almost hostile during the walk, which puzzled and worried Suzaku. What had he done wrong? What did he say?

"Hey…" she stopped suddenly as they walked onto the train platform, her back to him. "You should go to school at Ashford…you could see Lulu and Nunnally again, and…I'd be your friend…"

If you still want to talk to me, she added silently to herself.

Suzaku smiled softly, sadly and reached out slowly to touch Marina's shoulder as he spoke, "That'd…be nice…"

"Um…excuse me…"

Suzaku tugged his hand away; it had been but a few centimetres from touching the fabric of Marina's clothes. He turned and was surprised to find a girl with long pink hair, so much so he didn't notice the haggard looking blond shuffle past him, purposely jostling him with his shoulder. "Yes…?"

"I was wondering…if you could take me to the Shinjuku Ghetto…"

"Ah, that's…well…you see I'm taking a friend…" he looked behind him and frowned.

The last train car was turning the corner, disappearing out of sight with the rest of the train.

Marina was long gone.

* * *

If it weren't for the simple fact it would've been impossible for such a creature to enter the dorms, the occupants could have sworn (and have been taken seriously) that they heard an elephant stomping up the stairs around 5 PM that day…

Those who opened their doors were relieved, just a little, to find that it was Marina stomping up the stairs in a foul mood.

The angry aura seemed to only expand and darken when Marina threw open the door to her dorm room and screamed, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, AURORA!"

Shocked, Aurora jumped, sending the bottle of nail polish she had been using to paint Erika's nails, flying through the air and onto the carpet near Candice's, another tennis club member's, feet.

"Ma-Marina!?" Aurora cried shocked, not just because of her best friends startled out burst, but because she seemed to be hiccupping…something that often happened when she was upset.

Along with an uncanny(yet sometimes disastrous) ability to indiscriminately babble on for hours on end. And it looked like it was going to be one of those times, the ones that caused Lelouch to deduce her babbling tendencies when upset long ago in junior high during a particularly fierce lightening storm that had her trembling and running at the mouth.

"I…feel so stupid," Marina hiccuped. "And weird…and bubbly…take it back, take your stupid whatever it is back!"

"Ehh!?" Candice jumped onto the bed with Erika, eager to hear some good gossip material. "Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?"

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" Marina shouted, and then continued in a quieter voice, her head low, "He could never be my boyfriend…I don't even think we're friends…"

"Ah, this secret lover guy? How was the date--ow!" Erika cried as Aurora shoved a pillow into her face.

"What happened…?" Aurora asked gently, guiding Marina towards her empty bed.

"I went to give him some pictures, that's all. Then he asked why I wasn't in school so I lied and said it was Skip Day, and then he took me to the park to hide from the teachers, and he got me a crêpe. Then there was this cat that bit him, and then we started talking, and then he said he had to go, and then I got angry at him and he looked so, so, so sad…"

"Why did you get angry at him?" Aurora asked, sitting behind Marina and massaging her shoulders.

"Because I thought he was going to spend the whole day with me, even if I'm basically a stalker…"

"You're not a stalker. It's normal to want to spend time with someone you like, whether they're a friend or boyfriend."

"He's gunna hate me now."

"No he's nooot"

"Some guys like girls who are rough around the edges," Candice offered.

"He wouldn't though…he's kinda shy and quiet, his sense of humour is a little off-key but it's kinda endearing…"

Sensing a chance to find out more about the boy, Candice and Erika kept asking her questions, and Marina kept answering. This went on for a good half 'n hour until the topic somehow swung around to Lelouch, when Marina commented Suzaku's voice wasn't as deep as Lelouch's.

"I like Lulu's voice!" Aurora said, offended by something Candice said.

"Well, DUH," she rolled her eyes. "You're horribly biased! Geez! Spending the night at Lulu's house and not telling us anything--"

"EH!? YOU SPENT THE NIGHT!?" Marina cried, shocked.

"N-Not the way you're thinking!!"

"Well, what were you doing if you didn't stuff your tongue down his throat--"

"People…do that?"

The three girls stared at Marina. Wait just a minute…

"What do you wash your hair with, Marina?" Erika asked.

"Shampoo…?"

"What kind?"

"…Shampoo??"

"Did you teach this girl nothing, Aurora?"

"She was never interested in this kind of stuff…"

"Well…we'll just have to change that…"

Belatedly, Marina realized she should be departing…quickly. However, as she made for the door she was tackled and dragged back, kicking and screaming.

Girls, she decided. Are very, very scary.


	11. Chapter 11

(Ichigo: Here's a new chapter, everyone!

Aki: Please read, enjoy, and review! Another chapter will be here before you know it!

Ichigo: Enjoy!)

Disclaimer: We can only wish we own Code Geass...so obviously we don't.

* * *

Chapter 11: Tea and Cupcakes

Itchy.

That's all Marina could think about as she scratched at her face, despite Aurora and her friends protests that she'd ruin her make-up and her manicured nails. The foundation was heavy and itchy, and the eye shadow that somehow managed to reduce all her glares to slightly angered looks.

Best of all, she was told she couldn't rub at it and had to instead massage her temple to try and relieve the itch instead. Like that was going to happen. Marina didn't even want to wear make-up, she just wanted to go about her normal life, she was fine painting her nails…they get so dirty from all the work she does and the polish helped hide the dirt under the nail…but the _eyeliner _and the _foundation_….no way.

Besides, she was pretty sure there was some regulation about wearing make-up in the military.

"Alright class, settle down, we have a new transfer student today," the teacher chirped, motioning for the new student to enter.

And in walked Suzaku Kururugi.

"EHHHHHH!?"

* * *

"Did you guys know?" Marina hissed through clenched teeth after school in the classroom, pointing at the three tennis club girls standing before her as she sat, legs crossed, on a chair.

"Not until this morning," Candice giggled, still amused by Marina's outburst that morning. "But even then, I only knew it was a boy…but who cares about that!?" Marina snorted, looking away, crossing her arms. _She did_. "We did a good job didn't we girls? Everyone thought she was a new person."

Begrudgingly, Marina had to admit they did a good job. With the make-up and the hair-ties they chose to pin her bangs up, they had managed to make her usual slacker, yankee style look somewhat…cute.

She shuddered. Her ancestors must be spinning in their graves.

"The girl's tennis club _is_ known for our miracles," Erika agreed, nodding sagely.

"Go us~!" chimed Aurora.

"YOU GUYS…!"

Marina raised a fist to quell their antics, making the girls jokingly cower. However, Marina's anger quickly dissipated when Lelouch stood up, abruptly and left the classroom, pausing only briefly at the doorway to tug on his collar as though adjusting it. Moments later, Suzaku had risen from his seat and left as well.

"Should we…?" Marina murmured, catching Aurora's eye. When the long-haired girl nodded, Marina grabbed Aurora's hand and dragged Aurora out of the room, catching the sight of familiar curly brown hair disappearing up the stairs to the third floor.

She had a feeling she knew where he was headed…

* * *

Lelouch turned towards the entrance to the rooftop when he heard the door open and footsteps make their way towards him. So Suzaku didn't forget after all.

"We used that same sign seven years ago, didn't we?" Lelouch grinned, tugging at his collar just as he did at in the classroom.

"'Let's meet on the roof,'" Suzaku translated, resting his arms on the railing encasing the roof. "I'm glad you're alright."

He had already known Lelouch and Aurora were safe thanks to Marina, but Suzaku decided not to mention that. Based on what she told him, Marina and Lelouch's relationship was under great strain. Somehow, he felt it was best not to inform Lelouch that Marina had been divulging information about Lelouch and Nunnally, some based on events the brown-haired woman witnessed and some she heard as rumours.

"Thanks to you," Lelouch's expression grew solemn. "If you hadn't taken that bullet for me…"

"I was just returning the favour for what you did seven years ago," Suzaku said, shaking off the compliment in the modest way associated with Japanese. "Oh, what about that girl? The one in the capsule."

"We got separated in the confusion," the dark-haired male lied smoothly, his visage not showing a single sign of the deceitful nature of his words. "Don't you know anything about her?"

"No…it looks like on the CA guys knew anything."

"I see…"

The two boys lapsed into silence, and afraid they were missing something, Marina and Aurora opened the door to the roof a little more, leaning in a little closer.

"Can I still call you Lelouch…?" Suzaku asked.

"My former self is recorded as being dead. Lelouch Lamperouge is my new name."

Marina raised her eyebrows, glancing down at Aurora. "What does he mean by a new name?"

Aurora looked up at Marina. She was silent for a long moment. Should we tell her? Tell her what she knew even though Lelouch didn't even know she knew of him before they even met…?

"I have no idea," she finally said.

Marina looked like she might protest but shrugged, and began listening and watching intently again. Aurora breathed a sigh of relief, glad Marina didn't push the subject. She hated Marina's searching eyes, and the thought of how angry Marina would be if she found out she lied to her multiple times…Aurora shuddered.

She hoped that day never came.

"By the way," realizing Lelouch was speaking, Aurora immediately began to pay attention. "How was your court martial? And what are you doing here?"

"I was surprised too! I didn't know you'd be here, Lelouch," Suzaku was lying. Again he didn't think he should share that Marina has been keeping him informed. "Well, there was someone who ensured that the investigation was conducted properly. Then when I was dismissed yesterday I saw Marina-san and she said I should come to this school. So here I am."

Surprised, Aurora glanced at Marina. She knew Marina had gone to see Suzaku but to ask him to come to school was something she didn't expect from her. The whole rumour about Marina having a secret lover was a joke. Some good humoured fun since Marina never really talked to boys…but seeing the uncertain yet touchingly pleased expression on Marina's face at Suzaku's words…Aurora had to wonder if Marina wasn't starting to develop some affection towards the curly brunet.

Before she had the chance to ponder anymore, she was falling. Marina had leant in too close and the door swung open, robbing them of their support and sending them crashing to the ground.

"What are you two doing, Aurora, Marina?" Lelouch sighed. He had expected this somehow.

"Hi, Lulu! How are you!" Marina asked, tilting her head slightly, and smiling, using a trick Erika taught her to win over boys. Lelouch simply glared at her, as though he was offended she'd try something like that on him.

Of course, the one guy she wants to influence-so he won't scold them and upset Aurora-isn't influenced at all.

"W-We were just out for a walk since there's so much hype in class and then we heard voices, and then Marina triped, so here we are…!"

"Are you alright?" Suzaku asked, extending his hand to help Marina up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she accepted his hand and began climbing to her feet, but quickly lost her balance when Suzaku let go of her hand. "Ow!" she cried, falling onto her rear. "What was that for?"

"S-Sorry!" he gasped, flexing his fingers as though they felt odd and foreign.

"…It's okay, no harm done," Marina stood, dusting herself off. No reason getting angry at Suzaku. That boy was too honest to have a mean bone in his body.

"So you already know Suzaku, Marina?" Lelouch grinned mischievously. "Is that where you disappeared to yesterday? You realize we have a test tomorrow, right? On yesterday's chemistry lesson?"

The Japanese raised an eyebrow, a small smile on his lips. "So you lied to me, Marina?"

"Y-Yeah? What if I did?" snapped Marina. On the outside she was cool and composed, but on the inside she was having a panic attack. She hadn't meant to lie, it had just happened. Would he be angry at her now? Would he hate her?

However, something Marina didn't expect at all happened. Suzaku smiled. He looked pleased as he said, "Thank you for coming to see me."

Marina felt her chest twinge painfully. Why did he have to be such a sweetheart?

"N-No problem! I mean, I couldn't just leave you all by yourself…! After all you went through, I thought you might want to see a friendly face…"

"Friendly?" Lelouch asked. "You always look hostile."

"LELOUCH!!!!!!!"

"Somehow, all that make-up really dulls the effects…your temper is toned down."

Suzaku laughed a bit. While Lelouch was simply teasing her, Marina seemed to be taking him seriously and getting upset. It was sort of amusing.

"Ah, that's right. Do you want to come to my house for dinner, Suzaku? You can come as well too, Aurora."

"Of course I'll come, Lulu!"

Suzaku glanced uncertainly between the beaming Lelouch and Aurora. Was Lelouch just being nice or…?

"And I supposed Marina can come as well--"

"No thank you! I have homework to do!" huffed Marina as she stomped off. Truthfully, she didn't, but she wanted Aurora and Lelouch to have a moment together, if at all possible with Suzaku around.

She may distrust Lelouch, but he meant a lot to Aurora, so she had to make _some small_ allowances. _Small_.

"You were a little mean weren't you, Lelouch?"

"Mean? I wasn't. You were the bully when we were children."

"Eh? I think you're confusing me with yourself…"

"Eh!? Lulu was a bully!?"

"N-No! I wasn't! You were the one who punched me, Suzaku!"

"Because you were being rude!"

"I had just climbed over a thousand steps with Nunnally on my back! I was tired! Either way," the distressed dark-haired male turned towards Aurora, who was looking increasingly disillusioned. "If you want to go home and change you can. I'll come get you in a couple hours."

Aurora nodded, said her goodbyes and left, leaving the two best friends alone.

"What are you so worried about?" Suzaku asked with a grin. "Everything I said is true and you know it."

"Aurora likes me, and if something upsets her Marina snaps. I'd rather avoid all that."

Suzaku raised an eyebrow. Marina didn't seem that violent. Perhaps a bit temperamental but not violent. Either way, it was far more logical Lelouch was bending the truth to hide the fact he wanted to look good in front of the long-haired girl.

"Hmm, I see," Suzaku said, deciding to give a neutral response, despite the fact he was suspicious of Lelouch's answer and his actions. Lelouch had changed a lot from the spoiled boy he remembered.

"When did you suddenly get so perceptive?" Lelouch snapped, feeling irritated. Suzaku's eyes were burrowing into him, and he hated the feeling. He should be the only one allowed to do that. "You were always a brawns and no brains type of person."

"People grow up," Suzaku answered simply.

No, kidding…

"We should get going," Suzaku headed towards the stairs before the conversation could take an uncomfortable twist and shift onto him.

Wordless, Lelouch followed him. Questions and discussion could be saved for later, when they were at home with Nunnally and Aurora.

* * *

"I'm home!" Nunnally called, wheeling into the dinning room with the help of Sayoko.

"Welcome back, Nunnally, Sayoko," Lelouch said pleasantly as Aurora and himself rose from their chairs. "Aurora and I have a present for you today, Nunnally."

"Oh, my. I wonder what it could be."

Lelouch grinned, holding a finger to his lips to ensure Sayoko would be silent and then beckoned Suzaku forward from the other room. Wordlessly, Suzaku knelt beside the girl and gently held her small hand between his.

Startled, Nunnally jumped slightly, before brushing the fingertips of her other hand across the top of Suzaku's hand, tears springing into her eyes. "This hand is…oh, thank God…I'm so glad you're okay!"

"It's nice to see you again, Nunnally…"

Lelouch and Aurora shared a look and a smile. They both agreed, that seeing Nunnally so happy was a thing worthy of celebration.

* * *

"You can stay the night, can't you, Suzaku?" Nunnally asked, barely noticing the teacup filled with hot tea that Aurora had placed in front of her.

"Suzaku's a student here now," Lelouch answered for Suzaku. "So you can see him any time you want."

Nunnally gasped happily. "Really!?"

"I still have my work with the army, so maybe not everyday."

"You're still in the army…?"

"It's fine. I was transferred to the engineering corps, so I'm not in much danger."

"Ah, I see, the engineering corps," Lelouch parroted, picking up the tea pot. "That's good then. Don't worry, Nunnally. If he runs into any trouble he can just go to Marina--Ah, you didn't know?" Lelouch added when he saw Suzaku's look. "Marina's in the army. Her brother and her parents are in the army as well and most of her extended family."

"Really?" Suzaku was surprised. Maybe that's how she managed to get into the brig to visit him when he was under suspicion for treason?

"Yes. It's why I sent Aurora off with Marina that one time. I knew they wouldn't turn her away if she was with Marina," Lelouch finally stood, moving towards the kitchen. "I'll get us some more tea."

Quickly, Suzaku stood. "Ah, I'll help you!"

The dark-haired male smiled. "Sit down. You're the guest here. It seems you've been working on your manners."

"And you your wit," Suzaku countered, sitting down.

"Ah, I'll help you instead," Aurora stood, grabbing the tea tray.

"Ah, thank you."

"Don't poke his waist, Aurora!" Nunnally called after them. "He's put on some more weight, I think!"

"Stop telling her that, Nunnally!"

"Okay, okay, I won't!" Aurora laughed, following Lelouch around the corner and out of sight.

"They're very cute together, don't you think, Suzaku?" Nunnally smiled, listening to Lelouch and Aurora bicker as they walked.

"You think?"

"Mm! He won't admit it, but I have a feeling he really likes her. He's always bringing her over for dinner. Sometimes she'll come and visit me but can't stay long and then he's grumpy for days!" Nunnally laughed. "Is there anyone you like, Suzaku?"

He was silent for a moment, before speaking. "I don't know about like but….there's someone I'm interested in."

Nunnally tilted her head. Wasn't that the same thing? Regardless, she just smiled. "Well, then. I wish you luck no matter what."

Suzaku returned the smile even though she couldn't see it. He hoped things went well too.

* * *

"I thought I told you to stay in my room," Lelouch walked past C.C. and A.A., putting the tea pot on the counter and putting the kettle on the burner.

"That's the Britannian soldier we met in Shinjuku. Is it okay that he's here?" C.C. asked, her arms crossed, leaning against the small table inside the kitchen.

"He's fine. He's my….friend."

"Is Aurora your friend? Just your friend?"

Lelouch looked at her. "Yes...?"

"Good…because A.A.'s clinging to her…"

She pointed and, sure enough, there was Aurora, bustling around making too with A.A. hanging off her.

"Ro! My princess! I missed you!"

C.C. shrugged when Lelouch through her an accusing look. "You said she was just a friend."

"It's lonely here!" A.A. whined, sniffling dramatically. "Lulu's a big meanie! He won't let me sleep in any of the guest rooms--"

"Because Sayoko might be suspicious if she hears a noise in a room that's supposed to be un-occupied!" Lelouch interrupted.

A.A. carried on, ignoring him. "So he's making me sleep on the top shelf in his closet--"

"It's better than the floor, isn't it!?"

"I can't even stretch out my legs!" A.A. snapped, finally acknowledging the boy.

"Then sleep on the floor."

"He's trying to starve us too," C.C. added, enjoying the scene before her. "We have to share pizza and A.A. eats everything."

"I'd offer to help if I didn't live in the dorm," Aurora murmured, feeling unconscious. "It may not be much, but when you want I can make you some sweets."

"Ah, thanks, Ro~! You're so nice! Only good thing about Lulu is his wallet,"

Lelouch twitched. He really wished he could get rid of this…this moron.

Aurora smiled, patting his arm. "Don't worry! I normally make some for Nunnally while Sayoko makes dinner so I'll just make a larger amount! It saves you and your wallet, right?"

Lelouch stayed silent for a moment. He was not worried about his wallet or how she was going to make cupcakes to feed the gluttonous leeches.

"Yes…well, thank you. We should go and give Suzaku and Nunnally their tea."

Aurora nodded and fetched the freshly made pot of tea and she and Lelouch left the room, heading back to where Suzaku and Nunnally waited.

"C.C!!!" A.A. wailed, clinging to her. "He took her away…!

C.C. sighed, reaching up and patting the tall man on the head. "There there. You really do cry at the easiest things don't you?"

A.A. just sniffled loudly.

* * *

"Be sure to visit more often," Lelouch told Suzaku about the sound of the crunching gravel of the pathway. They were walking Aurora back to her dorm and then Suzaku planned to leave for the night and go home. "Nunnally'll be happy if you do."

"Sure, but…Lelouch, let's pretend not to know each other at school."

Lelouch and Aurora stopped walking, staring at the other teen. "Why?"

"How would you explain being friends with a former Eleven? If we're not careful…" Suzaku glanced at Aurora for a moment, then glanced back at Lelouch. "Things could get out of hand. I don't want to cause you any more trouble."

"If you're worried about things getting out of hand, tell Marina."

"Marina?"

"She's never cut class before and yet she went to see you…she obviously won't let you sit alone in the corner of the classroom, and if we respect your wishes and ignore you, Marina will get angry at us. So explain this to her: clearly."

Suzaku nodded and Lelouch said, with an air of finality. "Well, this is your dorm, Aurora. Thanks for coming over. Sleep well."

Aurora beamed. "You too! Thanks for having me! Night, Lulu! Oh, and you too, Suzaku!"

She waved cheerily and ran ahead, continuing to wave and shout goodbyes. Lelouch and Suzaku waved back, and Lelouch even laughed a little when Aurora walked into the glass doors, too occupied with saying goodbye to notice the doors.

Suzaku stopped waving at that, and regarded Lelouch closely. Perhaps Nunnally was right. He _did_ seem fond of Aurora.

But…he wasn't sure if it was anything resembling love.

As far as Suzaku knew, Lelouch didn't seem able to fall in love that way…

Or…could he?

* * *

"Don't worry, we need only bide our time," Lelouch spoke into the mouthpiece, which when attached to his phone modified his voice giving him Zero's famous, echoing baritone. "I'll contact you later."

Lelouch disconnected the call before Ougi could respond. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Ougi, he determined, was a suck-up. There was no reason to call him like that. Maybe he'd have to…

His thought trailed off as he noticed he wasn't alone in the stairwell anymore. He could see Aurora ascending the stairs, her image reflected in the window before him.

"What's up?" he asked, casually pocketing his phone. "It's rare for you to wander around the school."

"I couldn't find you so I thought you might be here, plotting to take over the world," she laughed at his sour expression. "I'm sorry, did I upset you?" she asked, softly, poking his cheek affectionately.

Lelouch involuntarily flinced and Aurora's brown eyes widened, worry flooding her. "S-Sorry…did I do something wrong?"

"N-No," he lied quickly. He coughed, clearing his throat and repeated himself, without the stutter, adding, "I'm just worried about Suzaku. He's isolated himself…and I'm worried that the anti-Japanese students will target him."

"You don't need to worry," he added when she frowned. "He's strong."

"I know…"

Lelouch sighed. "Why are you depressed? Tell me, please, so Marina doesn't kill me if it's my fault…"

"A-Ah! I'm not depressed at all! See?" she plastered on an obviously fake smile.

Lelouch relaxed his posture, moving to stand in front of her. "You're forcing yourself. If you can't tell me what's on your mind…at least tell someone…anyone…"

"Lulu, are you in love with me?"

Lelouch eyes widened dramatically.

He'd expected this day would come…

But not before he had an answer prepared…

"I…" he swallowed. "I…"

What was he supposed to say, when he didn't even know how he felt?


	12. Chapter 12

(Ichigo: Here it is! The next chapter!

Aki: We already have the next chapter done, but we're gunna wait until Chapter 14 is mostly done before releasing it.

Ichigo: We're doing this to try and reduce how long you guys have to wait for chapters to be released in the long run by building up a back-log...

Aki: Because I'm in my last year of high-school starting in September, and Ichigo's going to be her second year in university...we might be too busy to work on it everyday.

Ichigo: We're sorry! We'll still try our very hardest to update a lot! We're not giving up on this fanfic! Nuh-uh!

Aki: In the meantime, enjoy the conclusion for this arc and all the nice stuff that happens!

Ichigo: Read and review!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass! Capiche? Good.

* * *

Chapter 12: Cat & Mouse

"I…can I give you my answer another time?"

There. There was an appropriate answer. Not an outright rejection, not an outright acceptance, but a maybe…that, most importantly, would give him time to figure out his final answer.

And time to sort out his feelings.

Aurora's eyes widened but her posture relaxed. She was relieved and disappointed at the same time. "Y-Yeah, of course. Take all the time you need."

'And say yes…' the end of her sentence hung in the air, causing them to lapse into awkward silence.

Quickly making up an excuse about returning to class, Aurora turned and fled down the stairs, leaving Lelouch alone in the stairwell with his chaotic thoughts.

He turned, resting his forehead against the cool window pane, violet eyes sliding closed.

The cool glass soothed his headache…but not his heart.

His heart still ached.

* * *

Suzaku grit his teeth, rubbing the fabric of a white t-shirt together as he tried to scrub away the hurtful words painted in glaring red with no soap, sponge, or hot water. He'd been there for awhile, but he was getting nowhere and his hands were going numb from the chilling temperature of the water.

"So _there_ you are!"

Suzaku gasped, body jerking in surprise and drenching a quarter of his sleeves.

"Ma-Marina!" he spun around, quickly turning to hide the wash tub and its contents from the Britannian.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, eyeing him curiously, especially when he failed to answer. She noticed something behind him and titled her head, trying to see the object through the space between his arm and body. "You didn't say hello today…"

Sensing her gaze, he moved his arms closer to his body, blocking the object from view. "Yeah…I…I decided that we shouldn't act like we know each other while at school."

"What!? Why!?"

"I just figured it was for the best. If you think about it, you don't often hear about relationships between Elevens and Britannians…."

Marina bristled at the word relationship and surged forward, stabbing her finger (with the glued on, fake nails Aurora did for her during lunch) into his sternum. "I don't care about that stuff! If I cared I wouldn't have come to see you in the first place!"

Intimidated and startled, Suzaku leaned away from her, back bowing slightly, the _glug-glug-glug_ of running water warning of just how close he was to soaking his jacket. "But it's not just you," he protested. "Think about your friends! They might get bullied and ostracized because you talk to me."

"Aurora wouldn't care as long as Lulu talked to her. Honestly, it's _you_ I'm worried about!" she scrutinized him, glaring. "I'm worried about if you're being bullied. I'm the one who asked you to come here, so anything that happens is MY responsibility."

Under Marina's heated glare and commanding words, Suzaku felt some of his childhood personality come back…He never took kindly to people butting into his business and ordering him around. He leaned forward menacingly and Marina recoiled two steps, but otherwise stood her ground. "What!?"

"This is _not_ your fault! You didn't force me, or drag me here, I can on my own! Don't put the blame on yourself. I'm the one who…"

"Who!?"

Suzaku's eyes snapped open(when had he closed them?) and slowly turned. Marina had used the moment to peer around his body…and now held the painted shirt in her hands.

"Who!?" she boomed.

Quickly, he tried to pry the shirt from her. He had images of Marina storming through the school, striking down all those she noticed whispering behind his back or given him dirty looks.

"It's fine! Leave it! It's almost clean anyway…"

"No, it's not fine! They're bullying you! It'll only get worse…" she pressed the heal of her hand to one eye and muttered darkly. "I hate Britannians."

"Hey," he gently pried the shirt from her and her hand from her eye. "Relax. I'll be fine…pretty girls shouldn't cry."

He dodged most of the punch she threw but not enough to avoid getting smacked in the shoulder. "Liar!" she cried. "I am not!"

Gingerly, he rubbed his now sore shoulder. "But I wasn't lying…"

"Yes, you were," she rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and held out a hand. "I'll finish washing your shirt. You wash your hands. You look like you just committed murder."

Suzaku glanced down and saw his palms were stained with red. Trying hard not to tremble or vomit as hated childhood memories rose to the surface, Suzaku made for the sink, beginning to furiously scrub at his hands. A moment later, Marina joined him, using the other faucet for water as she scrubbed just as furiously at his shirt…and soon she'd have to scrub her hands clean as well…

"Hey, thanks," he smiled warmly when she looked at him. "For caring."

She blushed, turning her head away. "Stupid. You don't have to thank me for that."

But she was smiling too.

* * *

"You're hiding your mask?" C.C. asked amused.

First Lelouch returned from school in a foul mood, brightened when Nunnally reminded him that Aurora was coming over for tea he was pleased (so much so that Lelouch happily gave permission for C.C. and A.A. to order several extra large pizzas), then brooded for an hour before hastily tiding his room…the final step involving hiding the mask, apparently.

"Unlike the Geass, this is physical evidence…" Lelouch paused in his actions, glaring fiercely at the strange adult as A.A. opened his mouth wide, imitating what Aurora's mouth should be doing as he offered her a slice of C.C.'s pizza. "What are you doing?"

Irritation flashed in molten gold eyes. A.A. closed his mouth, sneering as he said, "What does it look like? I'm feeding my honey."

There came a knock at the door, and Nunnally's voice floated through the door. "I made the tea. Eh? I smell pizza again…"

"I'm collecting points," Lelouch set the bag he had been putting his Zero mask in, stood, and walked towards the door. "We'll be right there."

C.C. and A.A. watched and listened, as the siblings and Aurora left the room, joking and teasing the male among them about gaining weight. Soon the voices faded away, but silence did not persist as A.A. suddenly screamed, "I want tea, too!!!"

Exasperated, C.C. grasped one of Aurora's cupcakes and pitched it across the room, sending A.A. diving to save the pastry.

Neither of the two strange beings noticed the animal that had wandered in and out of the room, taking something very important with it.

* * *

The unexpected house guest wandered downstairs, a little disoriented. Though it could still see out of whatever was on its head, it wasn't the usual sharp image of the world it was used to. It sat down, and scratched at the object with a back paw. Maybe it could knock whatever it was off…

The cat wearing Zero's mask stopped its actions abruptly, however, when he heard a feminine scream.

Maybe he should get out of here…

* * *

Quickly, Lelouch stuttered an excuse to Nunnally and scrambled out the front door, after the cat that had leapt out the kitchen window, fleeing with the mask still on its head.

"Damn cat!" he snarled. No matter how much he ran, the cat was still too far ahead of him. "I won't stand for being unmasked by such a ridiculous turn of events! If those terrorists were here we could have them surrounded…Kallen? No…I can't fuel her suspicions--WAH!"

His partner in crime, skid to a stop, peering into the bushes lining the side of the school building. Lelouch had tripped and falling into the shrubbery. "Hey, are you okay!?"

"The cat! The cat! Forget about me and get the cat!" Lelouch shouted, watching helplessly as the cat zipped between Aurora's legs, running towards another part of the campus. Noticing the cat, Aurora cheerily chased after it.

"Hey! Come back here!" she shouted.

Lelouch's mouth sagged at the sight as he extracted himself from the bush with some difficulty. How could she smile so happily, now of all times! This wasn't a game, their lives were at stake! No, _his_ life was at stake. The mask could identity him as Zero, after all!

Then again, wasn't it that soft, easy-going, happy-go-lucky part of her that had always attracted him to Aurora? The fact she was almost his complete opposite, and she could make him forget all his problems for the time being?

Wait, why was he thinking of such things!? This wasn't the time for reflection! He had to catch that cat before it was caught or before too many people saw it! Some people had already seen it, he realized when he chased after Aurora and the cat, and found two girls staring blankly after them.

He had to catch that cat, quickly, and minimize the damage it would cause!

The school's PA crackled to life, and Milly's exuberant voice announced, "This is Milly Ashford, from the Student Council. It's a cat! We are in pursuit of a fleeing cat! All club activities are suspended. All participating clubs will receive additional funds, and whoever catches the cat will get an extra-special chance at a kiss from the student council member of his or her choice!"

Lelouch's cream-coloured skin turned whiter than chalk as Milly's cackle echoed through the halls. Now she had done it. Quiet a few members of the student council (himself included) were very popular and highly sought after. By making this announcement and starting such a contest, Milly had effectively mobilized most of the school. All of them pursuing the same, mask-wearing cat he was.

Damn it all.

Grasping her arm, Lelouch pulled Aurora to a stop near the bell tower, and regarded her seriously. "You have to run faster, Aurora. You're on the tennis team, aren't you? I'm counting on you to catch that cat."

Aurora blushed. Having Lelouch's eyes fixed on her like that was making her nervous. "M-Mm!"

"Good! I'm counting on you," he pushed her off in the direction Arthur took off in. "Now go!"

And go she did. She ran, ready for the run of her life…

Only to crash into Marina, who was also running at full tilt.

"A-Ack!"

"O-Ow!"

Lelouch ran over, fuming. "What are you doing, Marina!?"

"Like I did that on purpose!" Marina snapped, massaging her tailbone, climbing to her feet.

"Lelouch? You're after the cat, too?" Suzaku asked, helping Aurora to her feet. Apparently he had been accompanying Marina.

Almost as though it knew they were talking about it, a meow echoed down to them from above. The cat was in the bell tower. Realizing this, Marina rushed into the building and started ascending the long flights of stairs.

"Wait, Marina! That's the clock tower! It's dangerous up there!" Lelouch shouted, frantically, hoping to appeal to either Aurora or Suzaku's protective natures, hoping that they would stop Marina.

And while Suzaku and Aurora did give chase, it seemed more like they were going to stop her and continue themselves. Lelouch would have to, somehow, get there first.

No easy feat, Lelouch realized as he ran after them. Especially when his athletic prowess was zero.

"N-No! W-Wait! I'll…I mean," Lelouch stumbled after his three friends, struggling to get close enough even to be heard. "I'll take care of it!"

"What!? You!?"

"Lulu, it's okay!"

"Leave it to me, I'm the better athlete. Remember with the bird back at the shrine?"

And then, to Lelouch's horror, the girls began firing questions at Suzaku.

"Bird? What bird? What happened!? I bet it spooked him!"

"What kind of bird was it, Suzaku?!"

"A canary? A dove?"

"CAT!" Lelouch screamed, tripping over the stairs…a few flights down from the three brunets. "WORRY ABOUT THE CAT!"

Damn it. Why were all his friends so much more athletic than he was? Even computer nerd Nina could finish the school marathon before him if she put her mind to it.

This was insulting…

"I got it!" Marina cried, zipping past Suzaku at the last minute and scrambled out the window, starting to climb the roof, towards where the cat sat, wearing Zero's mask.

"MARINA!" Suzaku climbed onto the outer window sill, peering up at Marina intently, hand outstretched towards her. "Stay back! It's dangerous! Let me handle it!"

"Eh? But I've done stuff like this before…"

"Not up there!" Lelouch chipped in, eager to aid Suzaku in bringing Marina down, forcefully if necessary. "Your shoes aren't made for climbing, and it's too steep up there!"

"Please!" Suzaku pleaded, stretching his hand out a few more centimetres.

When Marina wouldn't budge, Aurora grasped the window frame and placed her foot on it. "Marina, if you don't come down, I'm going to jump."

"N-No, don't do that!" she cried, sliding back down the roof, yelping when Suzaku grabbed her by her waist and all but threw her through the window, knocking Aurora to the floor in the process.

"Stay there!" Lelouch yelled, climbing out onto the windowsill, starting his work on coaxing Suzaku down from the roof, before he got hold of the cat and Zero's mask. "Suzaku! Come down from here!"

Lelouch cursued to himself when Suzaku merely ensured him he'd get the job done. Suzaku was being a real pain. Sighing, he tried to move so he could climb onto the roof and, perhaps, beat Suzaku to the cat…but he didn't have a chance to even try as his lack of athleticism finally caught up to him. Drained of his strength all of a sudden, he lost his grip on the window sill.

"LULU!" the girls cried from the other side of the window frame, reaching out to try and grab Lelouch's hands as he slid past them, but they were too late.

Thankfully, Suzaku quickly slid down the roof, grasped onto the windowsill, and Lelouch's wrist with the other, preventing him from sliding entirely off the roof and to his certain death. "You're too carefree to be up here, are you alright!?"

"I'm fine…" Lelouch gasped weakly as Suzaku pulled him up to safety, trying hard not to smile when he noticed that the cat had knocked the helmet off and it rolled out of sight. "My strength just kinda left me all of a sudden…"

"I SHOULD HIT YOU," Marina shrieked, looking quiet upset. "YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!"

Aurora was much more quiet with showing how upset she was by Lelouch's near-death experience. She stood beside the raving and shouting Marina, sniffling quietly, trying hard to prevent tears from falling.

Lelouch swallowed. He had to take care of something else, he realized, besides securing Zero's mask and placing it in a more secure location…

* * *

"I'll date you."

"Huh?" Aurora said stupidly, as she slid off the low roof, Zero's mask in her hands, and into Lelouch's arms.

"I'll date you," he repeated.

Aurora brightened, practically glowing. "Lulu!! Thank you! You won't regret it!"

Lelouch smiled, but beneath the surface he was troubled. He couldn't make up his mind, so he gave her an affirmative answer, with conflicted feelings…

It was the right answer, if he wanted to keep her under his thumb and under his control, doing so would ensure she'd never betray him and his identity as Zero.

But the thought of making her so happy, with such an impure reason made his heart ache. He wanted to say he did like her, but…what did he know about love? He loved his mother, his sister, and he loved Suzaku…but that was all in a familial way.

What did he know about loving someone so much, to the point that doing anything for them was possible?

Even supporting them in their quest to overthrow the largest empire in the world…even if they might not truly be in love.

The fact Aurora could do all this, and he couldn't decide. It hurt. _It hurt_.

But he couldn't tell if that was a good sign or not…

* * *

"So it was the cat from that time…" Suzaku peered down at the cat he carried. The one hissing and yowling on occasion, as though Suzaku was causing him great agony, even though the Japanese boy was being very careful with the feline.

"It still doesn't like you, either," Marina reached out and scratched the cat behind its ears and it began to purr. "You know, you can like Suzaku instead of me."

"Eh, Marina!?" a blond boy cried as he saw Suzaku and Marina exit from the shadow of the tower. It was the same boy whose bike she stole to visit Suzaku while he was incarcerated.

"K-Kenny…" Marina shrunk back a little, surprised by all the people there.

Shirley, sensing the brewing hostilities between the crowd towards Suzaku, quickly rushed forward. "Thank you for saving our Lulu!"

"Not bad, New Kid!" Rivalz joined in, clapping Suzaku hard on the shoulder.

"Did it have something with it?" Milly asked, cutting to the chase.

"It looked like it did, but I think it fell off somewhere," Suzaku explained.

"Where's Lulu and Aurora," Shirley asked, almost in a panic since she couldn't spot the object of her affections and her greatest rival. "They're not together, are they!?"

"Ah, they are. Lelouch said he had to find something he lost, and Aurora said she'd help him."

"Ah! Maybe it has to do with that embarrassing secret!?" Milly's eyes gleamed with the possibilities. "A love confession!?"

"And if it was?" Lelouch asked, appearing from another building with Aurora. "What would you do then, President?"

"I'd tell everyone and make Aurora get all sorts of dirt on you," Milly said without missing a beat. "So was it? Was it? Was it?"

"Yes."

"E-Ehhhh!?" Marina cried while Shirley paled dramatically.

"You're dating, Aurora!?" Rivalz hung his head when Lelouch nodded. "Daaaaamn."

Kallen, who had been standing nearby, silently observing the looks Suzaku and Lelouch had been sending each other, finally said, "Do you know each other?"

"We're friends," Lelouch answered immediately, before Suzaku could deny anything. "I was meaning to talk to you about this, President. I was wondering if we could induct Suzaku into the student council. Club participation is mandatory, but it'll be difficult for him to join any other clubs or comities."

"Yes! Please Milly!" Marina begged, hands clasped tightly in front of her face. It was a rare occasion where Marina was supporting Lelouch, and she didn't really like it, but it really would be best for Suzaku to be in the Student Council…and the fact she'd get to see Suzaku a lot more was a very pleasing perspective.

Milly smiled warmly. "Well, how could I say no when it's a request from our vice-president and it's already been seconded?"

"Thank you!" Marina cried, hugging Milly tightly, overcome with joy. She wouldn't have to worry about Suzaku all on her own, anymore.

"E-Eh? Could this guy…" Shirley raised a shaky finger and pointed at Suzaku, shocked that Marina was being so affectionate with anyone. "Could this guy be him? Your secret lover?"

"EH!? WHAT?! NO?!"

Suzaku peered at everyone, confused yet also curious. "Secret lover?"

"IT'S NOTHING! DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!"

"Aurora sort of started it," Lelouch explained as Marina continue screaming in the background, her face turning red from exertion. "Marina was dazed after the incident in Shinjuku, so Aurora asked 'Are you thinking of him', so now everyone thinks that--" he was cut off abruptly, when Marina covered his mouth with her hand, shushing him loudly.

"I-It really is nothing," Marina swore, ready to die of embarrassment. "Right, Ro!?"

"R-Right…?" Aurora backed away nervously as she spoke. Marina didn't seem to be very pleased with the current conversation.

"You're a bad liar."

"It really is nothing!" Marina shouted at Lelouch.

"Of course, of course."

"LULU!"

"Now, now," Nunnally chided lightly, using her wheelchair to come closer to the group. "Suzaku and my brother should hurry up and come here," she grinned kissing the two boys on the cheek when they did as she told. "That's for stopping Milly's evil plot. You'll have to make due with a kiss from little ol' me, though. Ah, but I get Aurora wouldn't mind giving her new boyfriend a kiss if he asked."

Aurora flushed, as did Lelouch. "N-Nunnally…"

Nunnally just smiled happily. She finally got her wish. Her brother was with Aurora and he could finally be happy and stop worrying about her.

* * *

"Are you happy?" Lelouch asked, later that evening as he walked Aurora back to her down, hand in hand. He had taken Aurora home until the events of the afternoon calmed down, worried they'd be confronted too often.

"Mm!" Aurora frowned a little. "Are you?"

"Are you sure you won't regret this? I won't make a good boyfriend."

"Of course I don't regret it," Aurora smiled kindly. "I have faults too, you know. I may not be the greatest girlfriend, either."

"No, you will be," Aurora stopped, surprised at Lelouch words, turning pink when she fond him smiling at him. "What do you mean…?"

Lelouch simple smiled, dropping a soft kiss to her crown. "Good night."

"Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh my god!" Candice tackled Aurora as the girl entered the girl's dorm. "How did you do it!?"

"E-Eh!?"

"Yeah!" Erika jumped onto Aurora too. "How did you manage to get the guy that almost every girl wants!?"

Marina, calmly standing to the side and watching her best friend and new acquaintances, she said a single word in an attempt to answer the two tennis club members questions, "Nunnally."

The two girls blinked. "Nunnally?"

"Well, Lulu's fond of Nunnally, and Nunnally's fond of Ro, so…"

"Makes sense," Erika noted after a long moment.

Sighing and shaking her head, Aurora headed up the stairs to the right of the lobby. "I'm going to bed."

"Waiit!" Candice called, chasing Aurora up the stairs, slamming into the door for the third floor when Aurora shut it on her.

Unawares, Marina and Erika were taken out when Candice fell down the stairs and bowled them over.

"AH! MY HAIR!"

"I THINK I BROKE A NAIL!"

"EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!"

Stuck at the bottom of the pile, Marina decided it might be a good idea to hang out with some people who were a bit more…normal. At least for the sake of her health.

Where she would find these "normal" people, was anyone's guess…


	13. Chapter 13

(Ichigo: Ouf! New chapter finally out! We have Chapter 14 ready so that'll be up soon...

Aki: Sorry it's taken so long to get this out! With the start of school things got pretty hectic...we've back on track now, though!

Ichigo: Enjoy the chapter!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass...if we did yesterday wouldn't have been "Zero's Requiem Day"

* * *

Chapter 13: Quantity over Quality

In hindsight, Marina realized that bringing Suzaku coffee while at worked was less of a friend-like gesture than one a romantic interest would do. It was like a wife bringing her husband a cup of coffee while he reads the paper, or going to the office to hand-deliver a bento.

Looking back on it, Marina realized that was probably what Aurora and her friends were going for. 'It's a good way to show you care!' is what Aurora and the Miracle Romance Tennis Team(as Erika and Candice called themselves. The name made Marina shudder) had said.

Next time, Marina was just going to bring him bottled water. She had burnt and scalded herself multiple times as she rushed to get the coffee to the boy, resulting in a half-full mug filled with luke-warm coffee.

Maybe he subscribed to the 'It's the thought that counts' school of philosophy? Hopefully. Or Marina was done for.

"Hey, I found you Suzaku," Marina carefully climbed over the railings and onto the lift where Suzaku sat with Cecile. "I brought you coffee! Or…would tea have been better?"

Subconsciously, Suzaku's eyes were drawn to her skirt, where he noticed a darker brown spot. She had spilt the coffee trying to bring it to him.

"No, coffee's fine. Thanks," he said, taking it from her and taking a sip as he felt her nervously watching.

"So, what are you doing…?"

Suzaku set the mug down and picked up the book he had opened in front of him. "Studying."

"Do you need any help?"

"Lloyd-san said we're pretty much done here, so I can go back to school."

"Eh? But school'll be out by the time we get back…" she trailed off, noticing the plate beside Suzaku's mug of coffee. "Ah! Onigiri!"

"A-Ah!" Suzaku grabbed her hand when she reached out for one. "You don't have to eat those. I'll make you some another time."

"Eh? Why can't I eat these? Is the rice bad? Is that why they're a bit blue?"

"A-Anyway," he let her hand go, standing up and pushing her into the chair. "Stay right here. I'll go get changed and come get you!"

Marina watched him as he left, trying to ignore how pleasantly warm the seat was. It was Suzaku's warmth, and somehow that warmed her up inside…

Quickly shaking her head, Marina reached for the onigiri Suzaku instructed her not to eat. To hell with what Suzaku said! She could eat what she wanted! She wasn't some love struck girl who did whatever her crush told her too!

Determined, she took a big bite and her tastes buds told her there was something very, very wrong.

"Do you like it?" Cecile asked eagerly. "I put blueberry jam in it!"

Cecile got her answer when, so suddenly Cecile was startled, Marina spat the bite she took back onto the plate and proceeded to down the mug of luke-warm coffee.

Cecile frowned. Maybe she didn't cook the rice enough? Or maybe…worst of all.

"Are they…really that bad?"

Marina gulped, ensnared by Cecile's sad eyes.

She was so dead.

* * *

"Urg…I feel horrible," Marina complained, her hand to her mouth, trying to keep down the bile that was threatening to come up.

"I told you not to eat them," Suzaku kept his arm wrapped tightly around Marina's shoulders, trying to keep her upright as she staggered along beside him as they left the military base. "I said I'd make you some, didn't I?"

Marina grunted from behind her hand. She didn't dare speak, and if she did he was afraid that he'd ask why she took a bite anyway, and her moral code would force her to tell the truth: she didn't want to seem like a love-struck girl by hanging onto, and obeying, his every word.

Also, the sad look on Cecile's face when she asked if her cooking was that horrible had compelled Marina to down all of the failed experiments.

Smiling ruefully, Suzaku ruffled her hair as they waited for the light to change so they could cross the street into the citizen area. "Come on, we'll get some rice and salmon and borrow Lelouch's kitchen--"

Abruptly, Suzaku stopped and his eyes fixed on the large television screen diagonally from them, a couple streets over. Pictures of dilapidated buildings were on the screen and, even from this distance, he could read the on-screen text…

"Saitama Ghetto"

* * *

"The army is currently moving to surround the Saitama ghetto," the TV news anchor women said calmly, as though the news she was reading were nothing strange, unusual or worthy of an opinion. "Entry into the area is forbidden by order of Vincereine Cornelia. We've received word that the attack will begin in two hours. Citizens of the neighbouring area to evacuate. In other news…"

"Are you going to take their bait?" C.C. asked as Lelouch closed the Internet window on his laptop, silencing the anchor women. C.C. looked up from her work of putting stickers she collected from all the pizza boxes she and A.A. ate onto a tiny sheet so she could collect her prize.

A.A., Aurora and C.C. sat watching Lelouch, who was glaring at his computer screen fiercely. One of his elder, half siblings, Cornelia, was calling out Zero by ordering the destruction of the Saitama ghetto.

"They've taken the trouble of inviting me," Lelouch said, mater-of-factly. "There's also a great deal I'd like to ask, Cornelia," Lelouch added, extracting his large, black bag from its hiding place, adding and removing items.

"Do you care more about destroying the Britannian empire," C.C. asked as A.A. held Aurora tightly, refusing to let her go near Lelouch. "Or finding your mother's murderer."

Aurora gasped loudly at the latter half and was quietly shushed by A.A.. Lelouch didn't seem to notice however, and continued speaking, words flowing in a steady river of reasoning…

"Those two are one and the same. The royal family fights within itself in order to determine which of them is best suited to ascend the throne. No…that man makes him fight," he snarled, remembering his father. "The strongest wins and becomes the ruler, and the weak are cast out! That's the kind of country Britannia is, the kind of world this is!"

"Survival of the fittest is a rule of nature," C.C. flopped back onto the bed, bored with Lelouch melodrama already.

"Then what about Nunnally!?" Lelouch snapped his briefcase shut, standing up. "Am I supposed to cast her aside because she's weak!?"

"Maybe she's not as weak as you think," A.A. glowered, holding Aurora more tightly to his chest.

Lelouch ignored A.A.'s comment, and instead turned to leave out the bedroom door, finding it barricaded by C.C. and a gun. "Don't you think what you're doing is rather counterproductive if you need me alive?"

"No. I'll just shoot you in the legs so you can't go anywhere."

"I see…you can't use Geass can you," Lelouch was amused as he drew his own gun and pressed it to his temple. "Let me go…if I have to live with this power and be unable to use it as I please, I might as well be dead."

"Shhh," A.A. hushed as Aurora tried to leap out of his arms, speaking in a soft whisper. "It's fine. He's just bluffing. He's too power hungry to die. See?" he said triumphantly as Lelouch lowered his gun when C.C. admitted defeat. "He was just bluffing."

"Let's go, Aurora," Lelouch said, opening the door and waiting expectantly.

"Um…" A.A. tightened his arms around Aurora's waist, making it impossible for her to stand. "I can't?"

"Let her go, A.A."

"Forget it! You're not mixing her up in this! This is a nightmare waiting to happen!"

"We will succeed. She will have to do very little--if anything-- at all."

"Forget it!"

"Aurora."

"Coming..." Aurora obediently pried herself free from the immortal's hold and, muttering an apology to A.A., followed Lelouch out.

C.C. watched the entire scene with her eyebrows raised. "Are you in love with her?"

"Of course!" he huffed.

"Hmm…" C.C. rolled onto her stomach, examining the card dotted with stickers. "Well, as long as you're not mistaken her for someone else…"

A.A. scowled, throwing a pillow at her. That girl enjoyed pouring salts on wounds.

* * *

When patrolling around the Saitama ghetto, the pilot of the Knightmare Frame didn't expect to run into a foot soldier trapped on the building. Nor did he expect to fall unconscious as soon as he exited the hatch.

Of course, this is what he thought happened. Lelouch had simply used his Geass on him to acquire the ignition key and start code.

But no one but Lelouch, Aurora, and the two immortals he had living in his bedroom, would ever know that…

"This one's yours," Lelouch said, motioning to Aurora hiding in the shadows, handing over the ignition key he had forced the pilot of the Knightmare to give him. "You sure you know how to pilot it…?"

Aurora closed her hand around the key. She had changed into her Rei form for this operation, and had helped Lelouch make the crucial first contact by bringing the leaders of the budding rebellion a transceiver through which Lelouch, as Zero, spoke through.

With her ability to change appearances, it was easy to mimic a Britannian soldier and sneak around the barricade, it was easy to change her appearance to a Japanese girl, in a short kimono made, with long silky black hair and sneak her way into the underground to do Lelouch's bidding.

She wasn't sure about how easy it was, and how ready she was, to pilot a Knightmare frame and join the fray, but she knew she wanted to help Lelouch as much as she could.

Even if it meant lying to him.

"Mm…Marina is learning how to pilot Knightmares…I read the notes she took," Aurora explained.

Notes, huh? Lelouch wondered if writing notes about the operation of military weapons was appropriate protocol. Ah, well.

"You're Q-2, okay?" he called as the chair, with Aurora in it, slowly glided back into the cockpit. "And don't do anything rash on your own!"

The door clicked shut with a loud hiss of locks on Lelouch last warning.

He hoped she had heard him.

* * *

"Oh, so Lulu lived here before this area was developed. Was he an immigrant?" Shirley asked, after hearing Suzaku's story. The Eleven boy stood by Arthur, the cat that had caused such a commotion a few days earlier, while Shirley sat in a chair, facing the windows, and Marina sat beside her, facing Suzaku with a small smile on her face.

They had arrived at Ashford only to find that Lelouch wasn't around. Not wanting to bother Nunnally and Sayoko, Suzaku and Marina decided to store the ingredients for onigiri and make them another day. Instead, they decided to go check up on the newest student council member, Arthur. There they found Shirley, angry and accusing over something to do with Lelouch again.

Marina shook her head a little. That Lelouch was always the talk of the town.

"What about you?" Suzaku frowned as Arthur turned his back to him, uninterested in the cat toy Suzaku had happily purchased at a convenience store while buying water for Marina when Cecile's blueberry jam onigiri caught up to her.

"Me? I'm about the same, I guess. Lulu's just so indecisive. He doesn't take anything seriously. That's why I keep wondering if I still have a chance with him…that there's some other reason he's dating Aurora other than love."

"You're in love with him?" Suzaku asked unnecessarily.

Shirley blushed, fiddling with her skirt. "Well…something like that. But…well, Kallen said I was wrong," she frowned, recalling her earlier conversation with the redhead. "But it feels like something's being hidden from me."

"It's best to ask that kind of question to the person directly," Suzaku leaned against the table, cradling the dialling phone to his ear. "He may be dating someone now, but I'll ask him what he thinks about you."

Marina catapulted from the chair, grabbing the phone's cradle and jerking it towards her, trying to pull the phone away from Suzaku's ear. "You can't do that!"

Startled, Suzaku gaped at her before snapping his jaw shut, and firmly tugged the phone back towards him saying, "No, it's fine. I can do it."

"No you can't!" she cried, worried that Lelouch would admit to liking Shirley. If that were what will happen, Marina would feel obligated to tell Aurora…and break her heart.

That was something she never wanted to have to do.

Determined, Marina gave a mighty tug, the strength of the pull pulling Suzaku forward, while she stumbled backwards, and both tripped over the chairs around the table, crashing to the floor.

Suzaku's hands had braced him from the fall, but that didn't make the position he found himself in any less awkward and compromising.

Marina was sprawled underneath him, her head framed between his hands on either side, and she was staring up at him with wide eyes. Beneath him, she looked so docile and submissive.

Swallowing, Suzaku dared to lower himself onto his elbows, bending and turning his head, his heart vibrating and thumping in his chest enough to make his chest ache…

_MROW!_

"OW!"

But not as much as his finger was aching after Arthur sunk his fangs and claws into the digit.

"S-Suzaku…?" Marina breathed, not sure what was happening.

"Did that hurt…?" Shirley asked, leaning over them uncertainly.

"A lot…"

Marina blinked. "What…?"

"No, it's nothing," Suzaku assured her as he rose to his feet and then helped her to her feet.

On the table innocently sat the phone that had caused all this, the receiver back in its cradle, a shocked Lelouch still on the other line.

Lelouch, however, quickly recovered and assume the call had disconnected because of some kind of interference. If it had really been so important they had to contact him despite him being at home (as far as they knew, at least), they would have called back already.

Besides, it's not as though he had the time to chat about something as meaningless as a party to welcome Arthur into his position as the Student Council's mascot.

He had troops to command, and a princess to slaughter.

Lelouch had a feeling he was doing quiet well. Cornelia had sent out one of her special units into the fight. She was desperate enough to use her best men to try and scrap a win for Britannia, but it wouldn't work.

Lelouch would make sure he'd prevail, and get himself right into Cornelia's ship and do away with his older sister, just like he did with his older brother Clovis in the Shinjuku ghetto not too long ago…

With this, with Lelouch's victory…it would be one less Britannian heir, and he'd be one step closer to confronting his father…

One step closer to finishing everything.

* * *

"Are…Are you the only one left…Aurora?" Lelouch asked, unsurely, only an hour after the call from the Student Council.

Cornelia was a more formidable opponent than he originally estimated. He knew she was much more capable than Clovis, but for every single one of his plans to fail…she must be brilliant. No, it wasn't just that…

She had competent, intelligent men at her disposal. All Lelouch had was the beginnings of a rebellion. Either the orders he gave them were obeyed and failed because Cornelia was willing to make sacrifices and takes, or his orders were ignored.

Once Lelouch's carefully established hierarchy fell through, everything fell apart. Men were surrendering themselves, committing suicide by charging blindly in, shredded to pieces as they tried to hide and run away…

It was chaos. Lelouch could only watch as the blips on his radar slowly began to dwindle. There were only twenty or so Knightmares left on the battle field…one was him, and he was praying at least one other was an ally of his.

Preferably Aurora.

"Yeah…I'm here…" Aurora's voice floated suddenly through his radio, over the special network he had set up for his troops.

Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief. It felt so good to hear her familiar voice, especially as they approached Cornelia's stronghold with her forces. A couple sheep in wolves' clothing in over their heads, is what they were.

"At least you're alright. Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "We'll be fine now--"

"All Knightmare Pilots," Cornelia's voice boomed. "Open your hatches and step out!"

Suddenly, they were in an even tighter spot than Lelouch had anticipated.

With or without his Zero mask, he'd be identified and captured. Even if instructed Aurora to use her Geass to appear like the pilot whose nightmare they took, if she couldn't provide the correct identification she'd be captured as well.

He couldn't use his Geass, either. He couldn't go against them in an all out attack, against so many pilots, against so many more skilled than he…it would be suicide.

He nor Aurora would survive.

But what could he do?

"Open the hatch," a confident male voice said. He was right outside Lelouch's Knightmare. "It's your turn."

"My…My hatch was damaged," Lelouch lied quickly. Hoping they would pass him by for the moment.

But no luck.

"Turn around then. We'll open your hatch."

Lelouch hung his head, shifting the controls to do so. "I understand…Right away…"

It was no good…maybe he'll be able to figure something else out, and at least Aurora would be safe with the discovery of Zero…

"Zero! We found Zero!" a zealous soldier shouted, gesturing with his armed rifle as he took aim at a cloaked figure standing on a metal frame of a building.

Lelouch eyes bulged out of his skull at the sight. Sure enough, there was Zero standing on top of the building not far from where he was.

That wasn't possible, though. He was Zero!

But, he had also left his Zero outfit back in his room because he didn't foresee a reason during which he would near to wear the costume.

Could it be…?

Lelouch watched as Zero fell, presumably from a fired gunshot, and as all the Knightmares and foot soldiers took off to collect the body.

"Aurora!" he cried, extracting himself from his Knightmare. "Let's go!"

"Right!" she quickly joined him and the two dashed off towards the sewers to make their escape.

To think they'd need to be saved. Lelouch's brain wasn't enough.

'That Cornelia,' Lelouch thought. 'She really is a cut above Clovis."

"Why did you save me?" he demanded, when they finally came across Zero. Lelouch's eyes narrowed when he saw A.A. leaning against the tunnel wall behind Zero. So he was right, after all…

"Didn't I tell you?" C.C. removed her mask, her expression blank but a little humour was present in her voice. "I can't have you dying on me."

"If my men had been the same," Lelouch snapped, infuriated at the implications of having her come and save him. He didn't want to admit it, and he never would admit it out loud, but without her he'd be locked in a dungeon somewhere or being forced to kneel before Cornelia. "I would have won!"

"You're being a sore loser," C.C. turned towards him, Zero's helmet tucked under her arm. "Part of your ability is to make things happen the way you want, regardless of the circumstances you face."

"Then I shall," Lelouch regarded her with steady, violet eyes. "I'll make them stronger than Britannia, my army, my men, my country!"

"Wah!" A.A. cried, zipping past Lelouch and gathering Aurora into his arms. "Lulu's a megalomaniac!"

"There, there," Aurora said kindly, patting his back before squeezing him tightly.

A.A. reciprocated, squeezing her even tighter and surprising the girl. Then, directly into her ear, he whispered, "Are you okay? You weren't scared, were you?"

Aurora was silent. She glanced out of the corner of her eyes, over to where Lelouch was. His back was too her, and he didn't seem to be listening. She nodded.

A.A. sighed, tucking her head against his collarbone, resting his chin atop her head. "It's alright. You're safe now. I'm right here. I'll protect you. If you need to cry, don't hold back."

Aurora nodded, holding him tighter and hiding her face into his white t-shirt. "Okay…thank you…"

"Don't thank me…" A.A. gently placed a kiss on the crown of her head. "It's the natural thing for me to do…"

Aurora's eyes widened, a feeling of uncertainty and sadness and maybe just a little joy, settling inside of her at A.A. whispered words.

"After all, I am in love with you."


	14. Chapter 14

(Aki: Whooo! New chapter!

Ichigo: Took forever, but it's out now! We'll try and have the next chapter out next week. October's been a hectic month for the both of us.

Aki: Enjoy in the meantime!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Code Geass! That should be obvious by now.

* * *

Chapter 14: Bonds That Bind

When the resistance Zero had commanded during the incident in the Shinjuku ghetto found themselves, once again, in contact with the man that had made himself elusive for the past little while…they were shocked to say the least.

Especially when they found something akin to a black mansion-on-wheels waiting for them at the designated meeting location, Zero waiting for them there so he could introduce him to Rei, a girl who described herself as Zero's "precious person".

"What's wrong?" Zero said, climbing inside the vehicle after Rei finished her introduction with a perfectly practised bow. "This is our hideout now, come in."

And so they did, the resistance members stunned by the ritzy interior of the two stories they found inside.

"Can I assume we're companions now?" Ougi asked, uncertainly. When Zero affirmed, Ougi added, "Where did you get this?"

"A dilettante nobleman gave it too me when I asked him too. Don't worry, it can't be traced," Zero said, grabbing Rei to still her for a moment, pulling out a piece of paper that had fallen into her hair as she trotted about, showing people around.

Overhearing, Kallen couldn't help to agree. It was quiet possible that something this big and of this nature wouldn't be checked. When she heard the TV turn on, she turned to take a glance, and gasped at the news footage playing.

"_I'm here at the Kawaguchi Convention Center_," the report said, the towering convention center behind her. "_The hotel-jackers have named themselves 'The Japan Liberation Front.' The members of the Sakuradite Distribution Council, including Chairman James, as well as tourists who happened to be staying there, along with several hotel staff, have been taken hostage. This is a video sent by the culprits. As you can see, along with Chairman James, there are several students."_

"The Student Council…" Kallen muttered, horrified to see her fellow members on the screen, in a dark room with dozens of other hostages, hands behind their heads.

"_The leader of the hotel-jackers is a man calling himself Colonel Kusakabe, of the former Japanese Army. Sakuradite is a critical component in the manufacturing of high-temperature superconductors, making it a strategic resource with planet-wide security implications_," continued the reportor. "_Area 11 is the world's largest producer of Sakuradite, responsible for seventy percent of the market. The yearly conference held here decides the international distribution rate of Sakuradite. It is fair to say that the distribution of it determines the power balance between us Britannians and the rest of the world. It's thought that the terrorists chose this time to take action because the whole world's attention is focused here._"

"You're worried?" Kallen asked, noticing the stricken expression on Rei's face, tuning out the rest of the news.

Startled, Rei looked at Kallen. "I feel sorry for them…is that wrong?"

Kallen shook her head slowly. For a Japanese to be so compassionate about the plight of Britannians…she was probably very sensitive to the emotions and troubles of others. That must be why Zero held her so close. Kallen tried to smile reassuringly at her, trying to estimate the pain she must feel for her own people if she emphasized with the enemy like this.

"No, there's nothing wrong with that," the red-haired pilot assured Rei. "I'm not celebrating this, either. But don't worry, I'm sure they'll be okay."

Rei smiled at Kallen, before looking back at the screen, listening to the news report, intently, while Zero looked on, his face behind his mask contemplative.

Aurora may not be able to offer much to his cause, but in the guise of Rei, she seemed to be able to do something crucial: form strong bonds.

He might need to use those bonds one day, if Kallen ever caught onto his true identity.

But for now…he was more concerned about using the situation being televised to his advantage.

Perhaps he would have to reveal him and his "organization" earlier than he anticipated…

* * *

If one saw Mt. Fuji from a distance, no one would know that a terrifying situation was taking place there. The skies were calm, and the sun was shining brightly. From far, far away the atmosphere would seem peaceful, the presence of the military in large numbers would simply hint that a military exercise was taking place.

Heck, even within the emergency base set up by the military, the atmosphere was rather relaxed. The mission at hand was rather simple, routine, something any good strategist would know how to deal with. At first appearance, at least.

But to Marina, this was nothing to be relaxed about. The higher-ups could assure her and assure her that piloting her Knightmare against these rebels would be easy…but Marina didn't believe them.

She knew that the terrorists were restricting their movements by destroying all but one bridge. Anyone going in through there would be easy pickings. She knew air and water attempts had failed. She knew there was only the life-line tunnel left as an entrance point.

She knew Knightmares were the last resort in situations like these.

And that the first wave of units sent in had been destroyed…

Her first sortie was going to be in a hostage situation, one that had already claimed many other soldiers lives. The terrorists were getting desperate, they were killing off hostages now…

And to think, that some of those hostages were her friends and classmates. She had been invited to go on that trip, but she had had to bail because of work, because she had worked so hard to have the same schedule as Suzaku so she could see him at work.

But now that meant the training exercises had turned into actual battle…and she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to bear responsibility for any mistakes she made, for any deaths that she wasn't able to prevent.

She didn't want to be here! She never wanted to be in the "family business"!

Trying to clear her head and calm herself, Marina wandered away into the settling darkness. Soon she found herself at where the Lancelot team was stationed, the young man she had been subconsciously searching for relaxing in the grass. He was still dressed in the dusty-orange uniform for daily duties, but she could tell that he was anxious to fight, desperate too.

"Hey," she said loudly, trying to catch his attention. "Can I…sit beside you?"

Suzaku smiled at her, patting the grass beside him. "Not at all. Sit here."

She immediately did, dropping onto the grass heavily. Suzaku frowned. She looked worn out. "Hey…when you first piloted the Lancelot…were you scared?" Marina asked, pulling up fistfuls of grass, feeling too restless and stressed to sit down without doing something to occupy her hands.

Surprised by her question, Suzaku carefully looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was trying to seem nonchalant, but the way she was acting(clutching her knees, pulling up blades of grass, wringing her hands, all in the span of a few minutes) gave him the impression she was worried about something.

"A bit," he turned his head, smiling into her eyes. "But you're not allowed to tell anyone. Our secret."

Instead of relaxing at Suzaku's carefree laugh, she tightened up, biting her lip. "You can't tell anyone either. That I'm scared…"

She peered at the lake surrounding the tower, where both of them knew was an underground tunnel that lead to the hostages, and whatever else their captives had planned beyond using a shockwave against anyone who went into the tunnel and pushing hostages off the roof.

"They said I might have to go down there. They're all saying it's nothing, and it's easy, but…"

Suzaku's eyes softened, Marina's eyes filling with tears crushing his heart, squeezing it painfully. Seeing Marina, who was usually brimming with some kind of confidence, looking so uncertain and afraid unsettled him, and made him want to do something about her situation.

Subtly he glanced around. Only Cecile and Lloyd were around, but they were busy with the Lancelot and their own work. Even if they looked over, night had already fallen and there wasn't enough light to clearly see what was going on.

Assured that no one would see, the young man curled his hand into her short hair, pushing her head onto his shoulder. "It's alright to be scared," he told her.

"No, it's not," she protested, wanting to draw away from Suzaku, but finding she didn't have the energy to move away from his warm, comforting shoulder. "Everyone would laugh at me if they knew I was scared. Everyone but you…"

Suzaku frowned at her words, and then surprised even himself when he began stroking her head, as comforting words tumbled from between his lips. Lelouch always told him that he had a tin ear for other people's feelings, yet here he was, speaking words he knew she was so desperate to hear. "You have nothing to worry about. I'll stay by your side until I can't anymore. I'll go in your place. As long as the job gets done, they won't have any complaints."

Marina's eyes widened before she closed them, her anxiety rapidly fading away, leaving her sedated and calm. "Your warm, and you smell sorta nice, and you're really, really kind to me…I know we shouldn't be close, but I can't help but really like you…"

"I…could say the same thing."

"That's good then! Ah….hey, is it okay if I sleep? You'll make sure no one finds out, right?"

Suzaku smiled, chuckling, glad she was comfortable enough, and trusted him enough, to make such a request. "Of course. I'll be on guard."

"Then….night, Suzaku…" she said, moments later falling asleep peacefully against Suzaku's shoulder.

Quietly, Suzaku looked at her, slowly he was overwhelmed by the same feelings he felt when Marina was laying beneath him in the student council room the other day. The desire to make her his own, and protect her from everything.

Glancing around once more, Suzaku gave into what these feelings were telling him to do. He tightened his grip on her hair and pressed a soft kiss to her crown.

"Night, Marina…"

* * *

On the second floor of the rebels new headquarters, there was a room that had been designated private. It was for Rei and Zero's use only, and anyone wishing to speak to either would have to knock and await entry.

This Lelouch had no reason to wear his mask. Instead, he set it to the side while he watched a news bulletin on the computer seated on the desk pushed against a wall on the far side of the room.

"Are you alright?" Lelouch asked, turning off the monitor and spinning round in his chair, after hearing Aurora's dejected sigh for the fourth time. "You look depressed. Are you worried about them?"

"Ah…Mm…I am…"

Lelouch's eyes softened at the sight of the usually full-of-life Aurora so limp and down. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Lelouch asked, his expression, somehow, becoming even softer when Aurora sat up on the couch and held out her hands, silently asking for an embrace, which he gladly obliged, shushing her softly as he stroked her hair, doing as he would if she were Nunnally.

"Everyone's going to be okay…" Aurora wrapped her arms tightly around Lelouch. "Right?"

"Of course," he soothingly told her, drawing away enough to peer into her face. "I promise you, and you know I don't lie."

A small smile tilted her lips as she said, "Mm, I know. I believe in you."

Lelouch's heart tightened, the sensation of heat rising from his stomach and spreading through his body. Somehow, hearing those words from her filled him with happiness and tender affection for the girl he had convinced himself he'd taken as a lover in order to control her.

Now as he soothingly told her she was a good girl while kissing her forehead, and as he heard himself ask her to ascertain that she was okay, Lelouch began to wonder if some sort of true affection was forming between them.

Before Lelouch could begin to figure out if this were true, a knock came on the door, and he hastily had to rush across the room and don his mask before saying, "Enter" all the while keeping an eye on Aurora. As the mask clicked into place, so did Rei's image appear. It was disorienting, only being able to see Aurora's illusions when a permeable object separated them, and knowing that the opposite was true to those with Geass….

Even without the extensive testing they did before Rei first appeared, that much was obvious when Kallen walked in and smiled a little at Rei in a familiar way.

"Zero, what's going to happen to the hostages?" Kallen asked, her arms filled with what appeared to be bedding.

"Either way," Zero said, trying to pay attention to the monitor that was, once again, showing the news. "They don't really have a reason to keep them alive."

Kallen's eyes and face dropped. "I see….yes…you're right, aren't you?"

"Hey, Zero," Ougi said, pushing past Kallen and entering with a box in his arms. Inside were several articles of black clothing, all identical, all in different sizes. "Can I give these out to everyone? I think they're pretty cool. But then again, we're a resistance…"

"No, we're not a resistance."

Kallen, Rei and Ougi stopped looking at the box's contents and instead looked up at their leader instead.

"We're not?" Ougi asked. "Then what are we?"

"What we aim to be are heroes of justice."

Kallen blinked. Suddenly this felt like one of those old boys' animes on television.

Then again, with the way Rei seemed to be glowing while looking at Zero, they could be in a very serious girls' anime.

* * *

"You know, Rei-chan, Zero's a little strange, isn't he," Kallen murmured, as she and the rest of Zero's followers were crammed inside the back of a van, driving right through the Britannian Military stationed around the tower. The red-head flushed brilliantly when Rei giggled. "I'm serious! Do you know what he meant by that heroes of justice comment?! At this rate we're going to die before we find out!"

"Have faith in him," Rei smiled at Kallen. "Zero knows what he's doing."

"Can we really trust this guy?" asked another woman suddenly.

"I told you he's suspicious! Oh well, if it comes down to it I'll do something about it…" Tamaki trailed off as Rei gave him a stern glare. "What!?"

"Shh!" she hushed, noticing that the van had drove up to Cornelia's Knightmare and Zero and her were about to engage in conversation.

"We meet again, Zero," Cornelia stood up, exiting her Knightmare to address the man, standing on the roof of the approaching van. "Are you a member of the Japanese Liberation Front? Or are you here to cooperate with us? But I've got more important priorities. I'll take revenge for my brother Clovis right here!"

"Cornelia," Zero began, ignoring the weapon Cornelia was brandishing at him. "Which will you choose? The dead Clovis, or the living Euphemia?" Zero smirked when Cornelia winched at the mention of her little sister trapped inside. "I will save Euphemia."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Zero."

"I'll save her!" Zero cried. "I can do it!"

Cornelia looked at Zero uncertainly. Undoubtedly, there would be some sort of condition she would have to follow…

But for Euphemia's sake, she might just have to trust this man…

* * *

"Thanks for the order!" Lloyd sang into the monitor. After darkness had fallen, he had all but given up hope on his wonderful Lancelot going into battle. Excitedly, he turned to look at the two girls and the pilot hanging in and around the Lancelot's cockpit. "They said we can send out the Lancelot! They want us to race down the tunnel and take out the linear mass-driver!"

Marina looked startled. The underground tunnel was an emergency exit out of the hotel where the conference was being held and where the hostages were being held, but all attempts to use that tunnel to gain entry to the facility had been foiled by the extremely powerful Knightmare weapon that was in the possession of the terrorists.

Sending Suzaku down there was practically sending him to his death!

"Lloyd-san!" Cecile cried, quickly catching on. "That means they're going to use us as a decoy to create an opening?!"

"Yep!" Lloyd waved his arms about excitedly as he talked. "It seems the Honour Guard will attack during the confusion!"

"'Seems!?'"

"You bastard!! How could you agree to something like that so easily!?"

"Marina, Cecile," Suzaku's sharp tongue caused the two women to stop, and look back at the pilot they were trying to defend, whom was wearing a determined expression. "I'll do it! Let me do it! If there's a chance I can save them, and the Lancelot and I are needed now, then I must go! Even as a decoy!"

"Suzaku…" Marina trailed off, staring at the boy's serious, green eyes. It was the strangest feeling, she had been so afraid to go into that tunnel and fight. Suzaku's promise to go in her place had soothed and comforted her. But when they decided to send Suzaku she wanted to go in his place. She'd felt this strange feeling described before, but she couldn't remember it's name…What was this feeling?

"_Come back safely_…"

She blinked, flushing brilliantly as Cecile and Suzaku blinked at her. Unconsciously, Marina had used one of the Japanese phrases she had been learning to impress Suzaku, and she had a feeling that she horribly butchered the word at the same time. "W-What!? Did I say it wrong!?"

Suzaku smiled at her, shaking his head no. Truthfully, she did say it wrong, but he was touched by the fact she was trying so hard to say something she thought would make him happy. He motioned her over and then softly whispered something in Japanese into her ear, before pulling away and saying, in English this time, "Well then, I'll be going now…"

Once Cecile and Marina were safely on the ground, Lancelot's cockpit closed up, he was lowered into the tunnel, and awaited the end of the fifteen minutes before the operation began.

As the call for the last five minutes began, there was a scuffle and Marina's voice crackled over the radio. "_Hey! Tell him to be careful! Don't rush in or anything and--!"_

Suzaku smiled a little, tightening his hands on the controls. 'Rest assured, I'll come back for you.' That's what he had whispered into Marina's ear, in his native tongue.

It seemed such a cheesy thing to say, like something out of those mangas he would sneak into town to read (his father would never permit such things into the shrine). A promise between the frantic heroine and the brave hero.

Hero? Suzaku frowned. He wasn't much of a hero…but hearing Marina try so hard to speak in his native Japanese, all the while conveying her desire to see him again…it warmed his heart.

"_And get him to tell you what he said! I didn't understand what he said! I need to…!"_

"Cecile, tell her I'll tell her later," he heard Marina sigh as the message was relayed, and then Cecile came back on, telling him there was only two minutes left until the start of the operation. Acknowledging, Suzaku quickly went through his final preparations.

He had to get past the enemies, destroy the block, and sink the tower. He had to.

Because he promised Marina.

Perhaps, slowly, he was gaining a reason to live again.

* * *

Suzaku had succeeded in his mission; the hotel was sinking into the lake, just as planned.

With the bad guys defeated, all that was left was to rescue the hostages…

But even that resulted in a huge twist of fate, when it was Zero who rescued the hostages, having loaded them up into small boats, while his own much larger one sailed smoothly over the dark waters.

He was a little shaken from his encounter with his half-sister, Euphemia, inside the hotel while facing Kusakabe, but there was no time for hesitation.

It was time to make himself and his followers known.

"Britannians_,_" he said in a calm, smooth voice, looking directly into the stolen news camera. "Fear not. I have saved all the hostages inside the hotel. I will return them to you now."

Suddenly, lights illuminated the bow of the boat, and revealed that several people dressed in black with covered eyes were standing beside him. "People of the world! Fear us and seek us out! We are the Order of the Black Knights! We Black Knights are the allies of all those who are unarmed! Be they Elevens or Britannians! The cowardly Japan Liberation Front took Britannian civilians as hostages, and murdered them cruelly. It was a meaningless act. Thus I have punished them."

All those watching the scene, whether at the ruins of the convention center, or on television screens around the country, watched in awe, enraptured by the worlds of the mysterious masked and cloaked man.

"The former Vicereine, Clovis, was the same," Zero continued, gaining more and more passion as he spoke. "He ordered the slaughter of unarmed Elevens. I cannot ignore such atrocities, thus I have punished him. I do not refuse to fight. However, I will never allow the strong to bully the weak. The only ones who can shot, are the ones prepared to be shot by others.

"When the powerful attack the powerless, we shall appear again. No matter how powerful our enemy may be. You with power, fear me. You without power, seek me! We, the Black Knights, will judge the world!"

Those words, that speech, was the beginning of the next act.

As the leader of the Black Knights, as Zero, Lelouch would cleanse the world of Britannia.

He had never imagined he would be able to progress so quickly, and so far, at the mere age of seventeen. Yet, he was one step closer to his goals…

All thanks to Geass.

It was only a matter of time.


	15. Chapter 15

(Ichigo: Ugh! Sorry it took so long to get this up! School's been really harsh on us

Aki: With exams and holidays coming up we're gunna update a lot more! Please bear with us and enjoy this new chapter!)

Disclaimer: We don't own...it'd be awesome if we did though!

* * *

Chapter 15: Love Awkwardly Blossoms on Rainy Days

Kallen yawned, walking down the school halls towards the Student Council room. After the hotel hijacking, the newly established Black Knights had been as busy as can be. With school and late night escapades Kallen had been growing more and more exhausted.

She had even fallen asleep in class and had been quite embarrassed when she woke up shouting about what the Black Knights had been up to the night before. Luckily, everyone just thought she was having a strange dream.

Well, at least her duties at the student council required minimal efforts. Or, at least that's what she thought until she approached the room and had to make sense of the conversations floating out of the door.

"A-Aurora! What are you doing!? Ow!"

Kallen blinked. That was…Marina?

"Ah! He's getting away! Grab 'im, Suzaku!"

Kallen cocked her head. That was Shirley.

"Suzaku, don't! Ah!"

Kallen frowned. That was Lelouch.

"I'm almost done!"

Kallen quickly hurried towards the door. That was Aurora! She sounded way too pleased.

She threw open the door and her poor, sleep fogged brain tried to make sense of what she saw: Everyone from the student council dressed up as cats, and binding Lelouch to a chair.

"What are you guys…?"

"Kallen! Help me!" Marina cried when she noticed the girl, waving a hand in her direction. A hand which had some impressively long nails that Kallen didn't remember her having during first period. "Look what she did to my hand!"

"Eh…?" Kallen grabbed Marina's hand and examined her nails. "What is this?"

"It's nail art!" Aurora tightened her hold on Marina's other hand, gluing on a 3D flower onto thee left index finger's nail. "I put a lot of hard work into it!"

"B-But isn't it just wasted on me? I'll just ruin them!"

"Nope, you're my best friend. I don't mind. I'll re-do them as many times you need until I run out of supplies."

"Ro…"

Deciding not to get involved with the blossoming sisterhood feelings, Kallen turned to her left, taking in the sight of the rest of the student council dressed up in various cat costumes while Lelouch was tied down to a chair. "What are you guys doing?"

"It's the welcoming party for Arthur!" Shirley straightforwardly explained. "But Lulu won't do it so we had to tie him down."

"Suzaku, Aurora," Lelouch struggled against his bonds, stamping his feet as he struggled. "One of you untie me!"

"No way!" giggling Aurora sat sideways in Lelouch's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I think it suits you, nyaan~!"

"'N-Nyan?'" Lelouch mimicked. Aurora saying a Japanese word--the onomatopoeia for a meowing cat-- was something he didn't expect. Was she studying Japanese as he told her too? Or did she just get Suzaku to teach her that one word? Either way, she seemed very pleased since she squeezed her arms, constricting his windpipe causing him to gasp out. "A-Aurora, I can't breathe!" he flushed, feeling embarrassed to have Aurora pressed so tightly against him, affectionately rubbing her cheek against his.

Marina frowned, frustrated as she found her attempts to take a picture of the scene with cell phone hindered by her new, fake, inch long nails. Sensing eyes on her, she glanced to her left, and found Suzaku looking contrite. A few moments later, she realized he had wanted to help her but the huge paws that came with his costume prevented him. "I think they handicapped the most dangerous people in the room," she jokingly told the Eleven.

"I can't even form a fist with these things….Rivalz," she sighed, as she felt the boy's solid weight collide with her. He was obviously taking advantage of his chance to get free hugs. "Don't do that. I can still kick you."

Rivalz obeyed and scampered off, but only after locking eyes with Suzaku's stern eyes, looking as though he might very well start hissing.

The Eleven let out his breath in a gusty sigh. Really, being vigilant in keeping guys away from Marina was difficult. After the tennis club's makeover more guys started recognizing she was an attractive girl. And Suzaku was getting tired of hearing the whispered conversations in the school's locker rooms, or in the lunch line. Those guys who talked about Marina…they knew nothing about her. He had known her, grown close to her, long before she started using make-up and wearing mini-skirts.

He might not deserve her(but oh did he _want_ to be deserving of her) but she deserved guys like that even less!

"Ah! Sorry!" Marina smiled guilty when Suzaku gasped and jerked his head back when he felt weight on his back. The boy hadn't been expecting nimble Marina to jump onto his back and lean far over his right shoulder. "It's just so I can get a picture. Everyone's crowded in and I can't see. You don't mind right?"

"N-No! I-It's fine!" Suzaku gasped, feeling pink creep into his cheeks. He hadn't been this physically close to the girl since he held her while she slept during the Hotel Hijacking…and she had been asleep, unconscious, innocently unawares as to what he was doing.

The brunette smiled at him, before returning to her task at snapping pictures. She had barely begun before the door slid open and a rather unexpected person entered.

"Hey, Marina, do you have any extra money…" the blond boy trailed off, staring at Marina, her eyes round and large in surprise, and the person whose shoulders she was perched on. "HEY!"

"K-Kenny! What are you doing here? H-Hey! Ow! Ow!" Marina protested, yelping in pain as the boy grabbed her off Suzaku and bodily dragged her out of the room.

"…Can you untie me now?" Lelouch asked, irritated as everyone turned away from him to watch the scene.

Shirley chided Lelouch, telling him that no, he can't be untied, before kindly explaining the situation to Suzaku. "That was Kenny, Marina's big brother. He…doesn't like Marina hanging out with boys.

Lelouch snorted, shrugging and rolling his shoulders to get the stiffness out of his joint now that Aurora had obediently untied him. The fact Suzaku was a boy wasn't the only reason why Kenny was so vehement about removing Marina from the room.

"What's with the longing look?" Lelouch cheekily inquired, mimicking the Japanese very words to him the night he and Aurora had dinner at the Lamperouges. His smile was filled with mirth when Suzaku's tanned skin reddened just slightly and turned his back to Lelouch, like he was sulking. Pleased he turned towards Aurora. "Come. Let's go. The caf will run out of strawberry milk if we don't hurry."

"Ah! Let's go!" Aurora grabbed hold of Lelouch's arm and followed him out, eager to beat the rush that happened every time the lunch bell rang by leaving early.

"Ah! Lulu, wait!" Shirley called after them too late to stop them from leaving. She sighed before taking off her cat ears and staring at them.

Lelouch had forgotten to remove his.

* * *

When Marina returned to the student council room, her mood had taken a serious turn. Gone was the easy-going, joking, almost casually flirty mood and back was the old Marina…surly, serious…but with a twist.

She was clearly and profoundly sad.

"Hey everyone. Sorry I took so long…" she stopped, trailing off when she noticed that Lelouch's chair was empty, and the council was no longer crowding around him. She sighed a sigh that quickly turned into a gasp when she heard a hungry meow from her left.

She wasn't alone after all. Suzaku was there, crouching down beside Arthur's blue food dish, a red box of cat food in his tanned hands. He looked like he had been in the middle of shaking food out of the box for the feline to munch on.

"Ah…everyone left already," Suzaku smiled a bit at her. "It's lunch already, after all."

"Oh…that's right…" she pulled off her headband before stripping off her costume, glad that she was able to wear her uniform underneath hers. Suzaku frowned a little at her silence but returned to shaking out food for Arthur until Marina said a single word. "Sorry."

"For what…?"

Marina paused, stopping in the middle of putting away her costume. After a long moment, her cheek caught between her teeth, she said, "For Kenny."

Suzaku stood up abruptly. "You don't have to apologize for that."

"I'm not apologizing for that…"

Suzaku cocked his head, looking at her. "Then…what are you apologizing for?"

She couldn't say it though. That her brother was like all those people who hated Suzaku, who painted nasty words on his things and called him derogatory names. Marina didn't want to tell Suzaku and face that she was from a home that raised monsters…

"It's nothing. Forget I said anything!" she yelled finally, dashing from the room before she started crying in disgust and shame.

And Suzaku was left to stand there looking lost and confused as he was again left in the dark…

* * *

"It's quite amusing…" Lelouch smiled, taking a bite of the sandwich Aurora had made for him. "Suzaku's fallen in love with Marina, and it's fairly obvious that she's fallen for him as well…yet neither of them notice at all. You think one of them will actually say anything, Aurora…Aurora, are you alright?"

Aurora shook her head, shaking off her stupor. Lelouch may look good in those cat ears but she shouldn't stare and space out like that! "Sorry, sorry! I'm fine!"

"Good…because I can only ask this once…"

The smile slid off Aurora's face as she and Lelouch looked at each other. Why was he suddenly looking so serious, yet also looking so uncomfortable?

"Do you have club activities tomorrow? Or any other plans?"

Aurora was even more confused. Why would asking if she had club activities this Sunday be so hard for him? Nonetheless, she answered that she didn't have activities or any plans and Lelouch, somehow, looked even more squeamish. She was about to grab his arm and whisk him to the infirmary when a string of unexpected words tumbled out of his mouth as he bowed his head.

"Then do you want to go on a date?"

"W-What?"

"A date…a prearranged meeting between two persons who are romantically interested in each other…"

"N-No! I know what a date is! I just…you want to?"

Lelouch looked up at her, nervous violet eyes peering at her from a dark curtain. "Do you not want to?"

"N-No! Of course I do!" Aurora squeaked out, her heart thumping even harder when Lelouch smiled at her.

She never expected to spend her Saturday afternoon planning her first date with Lelouch…yet that's exactly what happened. Time: 10 AM, Sunday. Meeting Place: In front of the school gates.

It would be just the two of them…

And several "shadows".

* * *

Suzaku hadn't really had any plans for how he was planning to spend his Sunday off, but he didn't think it'd be spent stalking his best friend on his first date along with the rest of the Student Council.

He had only been at Ashford for a few weeks but he was quickly grasping the hierarchy of the school, and especially its student council. Milly's, the president's, word was law. If you didn't follow her willingly she'd figure out a way to get you to do what she wanted. Thus why Marina was sitting across from Suzaku in the booth, eating her second strawberry parfait while Shirley, Milly and Rivalz peeked around and over the bench to see Aurora and Lelouch, the couple being seated in a sunny spot near the front window.

How did Suzaku end up coming? Well, let's just say that Marina's pleading had convinced him quite easily. Apparently, despite having a voracious sweet tooth, she never got sweets at home and Milly would only buy her parfaits if Marina got Suzaku to come.

The boy had entertained the thought of being cranky about being forced into this, wishing he had managed to snake his way out of the trip like Kallen by hiding in her room claiming to be sick, but Marina's happy expression as she filled her stomach with fruits and ice cream made being tricked forgivable…

He might actually enjoy this crazy 'field trip'.

Shirley, on the other hand, looked like she might only enjoy this excursion if it ended up leading to a break up. "Lulu's not even talking to her…he's just staring out the window!"

"Ah~ My poor jealous Shirley~!" Milly cooed, hugging the orange-haired girl and stroking her locks.

Curious, Suzaku stood up a little to see over the other council members' heads. Sure enough, Lelouch was looking out the window, his chin in his palm. From his angle it looked like--or maybe it was just his imagination?--Lelouch's lips were tilting upwards in a small smile.

He must've imagined it, since after Lelouch asked why Aurora wasn't talking Aurora looked up and asked, "Do you really want to be here? Or did you ask me because it's something you thought you HAD to do?"

The (secret) former prince lifted his chin from his palm and looked at her, surprised. "Of course I want to be here. Why? Did I do something wrong?" he smiled when she shook her head and he returned his chin to his palm and glanced out the window. "Don't worry…you didn't do anything wrong. I was just enjoying your company in silence."

Aurora's heart skipped a beat at Lelouch honest yet touching words. She was floating still on Cloud 9 even after the waiter arrived with their food and they began eating. She only came down when Lelouch broke through her thoughts by asking what she wanted to do after they ate.

"I'm fine with anything really," she told him after a moment's pause during which she chewed and swallowed her food. "Where do you want to go?"

"There are apparently some shops that have recently become trendy. I thought you might like to go to some of those so I made a list…"

"H-He did research for this!?" Shirley wailed, heartbroken.

"Of course he did! He called me at 3 AM to ask for my help…I think he has an entire agenda planned out with alternatives in case of sudden changes," Marina dropped the metal spoon into the tall dish, the clattering sound a good indication that it was now empty. "Ahhh, that was a good parfait~!"

Suzaku laughed, smiling at her, ruffling her hair affectionately when she blushed. This day definitely had the potential to be great.

* * *

The location that Lelouch chose was the make-up section of a popular department store. The popular overseas brand, Swallowtail, had finally been brought over to Area 11, finally, and in celebration the store was selling the products at 10% of their retail price…

Which meant that a tube of mascara still cost 20 dollars.

Environmentally friendly ingredients, and a high-end brand name attached to a famous designer really added on the dollar values, it seemed.

"Guess Lulu's the type to spoil his girlfriends," Marina mused, peering at several bottles containing brightly hued perfumes. "The stingy Lulu spending money on someone other than Nunnally, he must really be in love…" Marina stopped speaking abruptly when she heard a crash and turned to see Shirley hurriedly straightening a stand of compact mirrors that she had bumped into.

Apparently Shirley wasn't only surprised…she was downright shocked and disturbed. Marina had to admit, she didn't think she'd live to see the day where Lelouch willing waltzed around a make-up section of any store, Aurora at his side, the two of them looking through the assortment of rainbow coloured products…

He was brighter, happier…he looked almost like a normal teenage boy now…and that made Suzaku very happy. He was smiling gently, fondly regarding his childhood friend.

"Hey," Marina said, taking advantage of the fact that it was only her and Suzaku near the perfumes. "You and Lulu have been friends for a long time, right? Lulu said 'Don't bring up things from seven years ago' when we were chasing Arthur that time, right?" she smiled a little, nervously tucking her nails into the front pocket of her hoodie, feeling self-conscious about the one inch of floweriness on her fingers.

"You know," she continued. "I've known Ro for a long time too. She just suddenly showed up at my house one day…her parents had left her at the gate of my elementary school and my parents took her in until we were middle school aged and she could live in the dorms. But, even though she lived with me, she was really popular so she was either out playing with the other kids or waiting at the school gate for her parents to show up…

"What I'm trying to say is…I know how it feels to have a childhood friend that hides things from you, that ignores you just a little. So, if you ever need to talk to someone and can't tell Lulu because he's not there for you…you can come to me…"

"Thank you…and if you're ever in the same situation," the smile Suzaku had been wearing since lunch widened. "I'll always be willing to listen."

Marina could only look back at Suzaku, holding his eye contact for as long as possible, trying to understand what was going on inside that head of his that made him so willing to listen to her problems.

She never figured it out though. The echoing sound of salesclerks thanking a customer ran out as did Aurora's cheery goodbye. Lelouch and Aurora were walking out of the shop, hand-in-hand.

It was time to leave.

* * *

"It looks like it's going to rain," Lelouch observed, raising his palm towards the sky as though the rain might begin pouring down at any moment.

Aurora too looked skyward and frowned at the dark clouds rolling in. "After this, we should go home…"

"Yes…we'll buy an umbrella from a store when we leave…"

After all, if they left the line-up they'd never get into the shop, Sweet Dreams, and enjoy the chance to make and decorate cakes and cookies at the newly opened location of the popular chain of cafes.

Of course, it was a long line-up. Even though the Student Council members had followed Lelouch and Aurora closely, the shorter members still had to stand on tiptoes to clearly get a view of Lelouch and Aurora.

Oddly enough, the girl who should've been most concerned about how her best friend's date was going was more concerned with the clouds over head. Marina clutched her hood tightly, inching to her left until her side was touching Suzaku's arm. He looked surprised when he noticed there was fear in her eyes.

"It's not going to rain…is it?" she asked.

"I'm….not sure. It could just be passing by, but we can go back if you want. I'll go with you," he frowned, touching her arm when she continued staring at the clouds. "Want to go back?"

Marina nodded and that was all Suzaku needed to hear. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, walking away with her, looking back for a moment to throw a parting at the Student Council members, who waved back at him with a knowing smile painted across their faces.

All but Shirley, who was still too absorbed in watching Lelouch and Aurora slowly grow closer to each other, all the while getting closer to the shop…and farther away from her.

As they traveled across Tokyo, the rain began to fall steadily and heavily, and as loud booms near and far began to sound, as Marina's whimpers began to increase and her grip on him became tighter, as Suzaku held her close under a cheap and hastily purchased polka-doted umbrella, he understood his attraction to the short-haired Britannian had grown…

Britannian girls drew their name and their crushes' inside a heart, Japanese girls drew their name and their crushes' under a triangle-shaped umbrella.

And Suzaku wanted to stay under that cheap polka-doted umbrella with Marina forever…

* * *

"So…where do we start?" Lelouch asked, pulling a pink apron over his clothes. Aurora's choice, of course. Lelouch may have picked a day that ended up ending in a storm, but Aurora picked their destination and the frilly pink thing he had to put over his black-shirt and jeans.

"Where ever we want!"

"That…doesn't help."

After all, Lelouch was in unknown territory. He could cook appetizers and meals, no matter how plain or fancy, but desserts and baking had always been Aurora's thing. There was never a need for him to learn how to bake since he could always counts on Aurora to make whatever Milly needed.

"Icing! Icing is always good," Aurora cheerily held out the pastel yellow bowl to him, so he could begin coating the pre-made cookies in the pink, sugary, spreadable substance.

He took the bowl from her, liberally spreading the substance using the provided spatula. He worked intently, but couldn't help but be distracted when he heard humming. He looked over at Aurora and saw that she was busy making rosebuds with a frosting bag. He could barely spread the frosting evenly over his cookies and she was making cakes into works of art.

"You're good at that. You really like these things, don't you? Are you going to pursue it after high school?"

Aurora's cheeks flushed. "Yeah…I want to. Is that weird?"

Lelouch shook his head, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "No…I'll support you any way I can. I don't mind being a guinea pig."

"Ehhh, you don't have to be so serious," Aurora smirked, dipping her hand into the bowl of frosting and pressing her hand against Lelouch's cheek, leaving a large amount of the sugary substance behind.

The boy's violet eyes were wide, filled with surprise at Aurora's actions. Just as quickly as surprise came into his eyes, it disappeared and was filled with mischief. "Oh, is that how you want to play?" he asked.

Before Aurora could answer, Lelouch had upturned the bowl of frosting and placed it on her head like a yellow, plastic hat.

It was Aurora's turn to look surprised and then to look mischievous.

Their date at the shop only lasted thirty minutes. They would've liked to have stayed longer, but when they noticed an angry looking man enter the main room through a door marked "Employee's Only" the couple decided to quickly ditch their aprons and leave, running away before they could get caught. Frosting all over their clothes and bodies, they ran away from the store, hand-in-hand, out into the rainy streets of the Tokyo Settlement.

Even though the rain was cold, soaked them to the bone as they raced for the overhanging roof of a store across the road, their hearts burnt with the fever only happiness and love could create…

Soft lips to soft lips, long-fingered hands around a slim waist, calloused hands in silky dark hair, and it was too late…

Aurora had become Lelouch's greatest weakness.


End file.
